The Dark Crusade
by Anevay
Summary: The Pharaoh's world of the Afterlife has taken a turn for the worse. Souls are disappearing everywhere. Now, he has to save the Afterlife, but he won't have to do it without his friends from the World of the Living. -Sequel to: The Afterlife- (Undergoing Revision)
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: You know, I had a dream I owned Yugioh once.**

Author's note: Well! Welcome to the story! Thanks much to all those who reviewed my last few chapters on **The Afterlife**, which, in case you haven't read it, is the beginning of the plot for this story.

First, thanks to: **Aqua girl 007, xMocha **and **fan person** for reviewing the last two chaps of **The Afterlife**! (**xMocha**, I like my disclaimer too ;) And thanks to **Angel's Riot**, for letting me use a certain line in here ^D^

Now I'll bring you up to speed on what's already happened, but I suggest you read **The Afterlife**. ^o^

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><p><em>Prologue<em>

It all started with a single man who had disintegrated before their very eyes as he spoke to the Pharaoh, shouting and challenging him.

Another man had attacked the Pharaoh, and in the process had been captured and promptly interrogated. He wouldn't say anything.

Hamon, a king in the Afterlife, had turned dark. He crashed the royal wedding and, in the process, revealed his identity to the Pharaoh. Using a black soul dragon, he had battled Slifer the Sky Dragon and lost, but was no where to be found when both Slifer and the Dark Soul fell from the sky.

The man they had captured, a man named Michael, finally spoke up and told them that Hamon wanted the Pharaoh's soul and all other powerful and rare souls. Hamon and his band, the Soul Collectors, wanted to capture the most valuable souls, but for what, he wouldn't say.

He captured souls—that much was clear. But for what purpose?

Did he destroy the souls, harvesting their energy?

When a soul was destroyed, it didn't come back. If Hamon wanted to do this, using this power on every soul he wanted, he had to be stopped at all costs.

Or, did he simply steal the souls and store them somewhere? Still whole, yet captured?

And the real question, _why _did he want the valuable souls? The men from the band, both the destroyed one and Michael, had said that Hamon wanted to free the dark souls. Hamon himself had said that he wanted a better Afterlife. A better Spirit world. He said it wasn't fair, and he was going to fix it.

But what exactly did that entitle?

How far would he go to get what he wanted?

Atem had a theory, but as of yet, it was still in the early stages of development and as a consequence, it didn't need to be discussed. But he was worried.

His theory had halted abruptly when his people came to him, telling him that spirits everywhere were simply vanishing. They would be walking one moment, and gone the next.

It was as if… as if they had stepped through the veil separating the World of the Living and the Spirit World.

Atem's theory evolved. The wheels in his head turned and churned through all possibilities. He thought to himself: _I've already had to save the World of the Living, and now I have to save the Afterlife, too?_

Ra!

Couldn't he get a break around here?


	2. Living to Dead

**Disclaimer: …**

Tsuki: Um, one sec, let me see what she's doing…

Anevay: _Man_, Kazuki Takahashi did an amazing job animating the Pharaoh…

Tsuki: (clears throat) Ah, Anevay…

Anevay: I mean, look at him! He's _perfect! _I wish I were Mana.

Tsuki: Anevay…! We're kind of _on now…!_

Anevay: … _oh!_ Hey, guys! Just doing some Atem obsessing.

Tsuki: _Anyway!_

Anevay: Is someone _embarrassed?_

Tsuki: No…

Anevay: Well good. I can Atem obsess if I want. SO! Who's ready for this story? I sure am! I've been wanting to put this up forever! But of course, I had to finish the Afterlife story… if you haven't read it, I advise you to do so if you enjoy Vaseshipping :) and the beginning of this plot!

**Disclaimer: Oh yeah! I was supposed to do this at the top, huh? Oops! Kazuki Takahashi, as said above, is _amazing _at animating the Pharaoh! (Bonds beyond time) If he had animated him the entire show, he would always look perfect. Wow, off topic—point is, Kazuki Takahashi is not only the perfect animator for the Pharaoh, but he also technically owns Yugioh and all the characters, so, no, I don't own Yugioh.**

Author's note: that was an unnecessarily long disclaimer. Welcome to **The Return of the Pharaoh!**

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><p><em>From the living to the dead<em>

Yugi sat up, looking around blearily.

"Where am I?" he asked himself.

One minute he had been walking home from finishing (and winning) a duel, and the next he was tripping into dust. Looking around, he recognized his surroundings, though that wasn't necessarily a good thing.

It looked like Ancient Egypt. The Pharaoh's time. There were stalls where people were selling and small red adobe homes all around him; people walking through the streets in long off-white robes and turbans.

"Oh, dear, not another one," said a woman's voice.

Looking around at the voice, Yugi cried out in surprise, quickly backing up. There was an older woman looking down at him with a sad smile. Her hair was in a brown, high bun and her face was lined and kindly.

"Another what?" Yugi asked.

"Lost soul, dear," she said. She was standing in a stall selling jewelry and clothing before a good sized home. "Where do you come from?"

"Um, Domino City, Japan," Yugi said uncertainly, "Where am I?"

"You're in the Afterlife," she said simply, "Though I don't believe you're dead. You're too young to be dead. You were walking and then suddenly you were here, yes?"

Yugi nodded, his mind reeling, "I'm not dead."

"No," she agreed, "We've had many living step into our world as of late." Seeing Yugi's confusion, she beckoned him inside her shop. He went around the front and followed her to a table, where she set down steaming cups of hot drink. "The veil is very thing here lately. People of your world—the world of the living—stumble through particularly thin areas and into our world."

"How do I get back?" Yugi asked. It was all so mind-boggling, though not so unbelievable.

She sighed, "You go down south to New Egypt. There's a center for Lost Souls there, where they'll send you through the next possible portal home."

"Wait," Yugi said, his heart racing, "Am I in Ancient Egypt?"

The woman nodded, smiling, "We are one of the north-most kingdoms, because we house the High King of the Spirit World."

"The High King?"

She nodded seriously. "There were many disputes about it until a year ago, when the Chosen King returned to us at last."

Yugi's mouth was dry, and he quickly wet it. The Pharaoh had left nearly a year ago to the day. "Why are you telling me this?" Yugi asked. She was being too open with him.

The woman shrugged, "They erase your memories of this place before you go anyway. Besides, you want to know, don't you?"

Yugi nodded thoughtfully, his heart pounding. Could the High King…?

"The High King," Yugi began, "Who is he?"

"You know him?" she chuckled. When Yugi waited seriously, she studied him curiously. "I thought so," she said to herself. "You're him, aren't you? The boy who was the Pharaoh's vessel in the world of the living?"

"Yes," Yugi said in surprise, "How did you—?"

"He has stories," the woman interrupted him, "Of his life in the living. Stories of a kindly boy who was his vessel and perhaps his closest friend. You look much like him," she added, "I suspected it when I saw you. Perhaps you are here for a reason."

"You mean, he might need my help?" Yugi asked. He couldn't believe he could get to see the Pharaoh again!

"If it feels right."

"It does," Yugi replied, thinking of his dreams, "I've got to see him.

"Come," she said, leading the way behind a long curtain.

On the other side, she dug through an oak chest. "Let's see, I think I have a black tunic here somewhere…"

"Tunic?" he asked.

"Of course!" she exclaimed, "And we'll have to cover up that hair of yours or they'll suspect you're him."

Yugi scratched his head. It made sense, he thought, he should fit in.

She tossed a black tunic his way, which he caught. "You'll need to look rich," she muttered, "Otherwise they'll not let you in."

After searching, she turned with several gold trinkets. "Ah! Here we are! Go put that on. I'll help you with these." She pushed him inside a curtained stall, where he hurriedly changed. When he emerged, she handed him an amethyst studded gold belt. "Silver won't work here, dear."

Yugi sighed. He felt ridiculous—how could people constantly wear this?

He had to say that he liked the black tunic, though. He didn't think they came in black.

"Since you're wearing black," she said, "They'll know you're foreign." The woman clamped thin, small gold bands around his upper arms, and wider ones around his wrists, against studded with amethyst. She bent down and snapped tall bands around his calf. "You'll be a bit stiff at first."

That was an understatement, Yugi thought. His calves felt like they were in casts.

She now held a strange head-dress in her hands. "This is a kaffieyeh. It should hold in your hair."

Yugi looked doubtful. The thing was made of cloth, hanging around the head except for the face. A dull, off-white with a band around the head, holding it together, it didn't look very sturdy.

She rolled her eyes and crammed it on to his head. For a moment, as it slid easily on top of his hair, he was dumbfounded. _Nothing _held his hair down.

The woman chuckled, "It's charmed that way, dear." She studied him and seemed to get a sudden idea. "I've got it!" she hurried over to one of the multiple trunks and drawers. She drew out a blue cape from one: not quite dark blue, not quite light. Just right.

From another she drew out a gold, amethyst jeweled triangle pattern head piece. She fitted it around his head gently and easily. Yugi felt the top of the kaffieyeh—his hair was virtually non-existent.

"Now swing that cloak around your shoulders," she ordered promptly.

He did so, and as he tried to find a way to tie it, the woman took it from him and tied it to two straps beneath the tunic sleeves. "Hm," Yugi said in interest.

"You've got a hood, just in case," she said. The cape was short and the hood within easy reach. "Now, there's a certain amount of protocol you must use to enter the palace." She stepped back and began: "Step forward with your left foot and kneel on your right knee."

With limited struggles, Yugi did as he was told, if not a little awkwardly.

"Don't do it uncomfortably," she instructed. "Left arm over your knee and right hand flat on the ground at your side."

Yugi found himself growing more comfortable in the position and nodded to himself.

"You'll want to raise you left hand when you see the guards. It shows you mean peace. When you present yourself before the Pharaoh, bow your head in this position. Do not remove your headdress until the Pharaoh instructs you to do so. Be respectful to all castle guards. Tell the guard who meets you inside the gate that you wish to see the Pharaoh as soon as he is able. Tell the guard to give the Pharaoh a message: something only he and yourself know."

Yugi nodded, "Thank you." He said, standing. He wasn't great with formalities—that was what the Pharaoh was good at.

"Of course, young one," she smiled and held out her hand. "I hope we meet again."

"Me too," Yugi said, "I'm Yugi."

"Mira," she smiled, "Now you need to go to the Pharaoh. You'll take one of my horses. It's at least three days ride to the palace. I'll get you some food for the road." She handed him a satchel and hurried off.

Yugi slipped the bag around his shoulders and stashed his duel disk in the bag, along with his old clothes. The last thing was his card belt. Hanging it around his waist, _now _he felt ready.

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><p><strong>Ah, cliffhangers. Don't you just love them?<strong>

**Feedback, peoples! Let me know what you think.**

**-Anevay**


	3. Someone's got to do it

**Disclaimer: … (Tsuki clears her throat, and Anevay looks around) Oh! Right. So… this is the question in debate… does Anevay own Yu-Gi-Oh? (Thinks about it) No, no I do not.**

Author's note: Wow! I got a lot of responses after just the first two chaps ^O^ so I decided to post again. Why not, I say! I mean, it's not like I have anything else to do besides watch Yugioh and X-files :P Right? Just kidding—mostly.

Anyway, I'm babbling, so on to the thanks!

-_For reviewing_: **me, Aqua girl 007, Angel's Riot, fan person, Nick-Arach, **and **princess atemma**—if I missed anyone, I am eternally sorry!

For adding this to their favorite stories/alerts: **Aqua girl 007, Nick-Arach, Chaos Infinity-X, AuraWolf4, ArcherAzzure, **and then to **ErinNovelist **for adding me to their author alert ^D^

_-Responses:_

**Angel's Riot**: hahaha man, I love your reviews! Every time I read them I just sit there and giggle with a happy grin ^O^ haha. I was very pleased to use your phrase X) It's totally fine that you didn't review, by the by—I'm glad you're liking it! If I didn't include Yugi, I would be very angry with myself. Yugi is great! And I agree, they have a great relationship! Ah, ATEM. So obsessed. But yes, Atem will remain Atem ^-^ either that or Pharaoh, as usual. In the last seasons Yugi calls him Pharaoh, so that's how it's gonna be ^-^

**Aqua girl 007**: Oh, I know—I just had to stick Yugi in black and make him look all awesome X) My answer to your question: wait and see, my friend, wait and see! Hehe.

**Fan person**: hahah I know, poor Yugi. Sorry Yug! Love ya ^o^ talking to characters is fun!

Wow am I a babbler—sorry peoples. Oh! But Tsuki, above, is my OC and her name is said Su-key. Now, let's catch up with our dear friends Atem and Mana.

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><p><em>Someone's got to do it<em>

Atem was frustrated with the whole thing.

Souls disappearing and appearing everywhere—living and dead, they were popping up all over the place. It was wreaking havoc in both the Spirit World and the World of the Living. In the last six months, things had gone even more down hill. The problem with the vanishing and appearing souls was no closer to be fixed than it had been before, and not only that, but Hamon was no where to be found.

The province where he had ruled had suddenly vanished, making the venture to find him pointless. There had been no further activity of the Soul Collectors. Atem feared they were striking the World of the Living, but he had received no reports with alerts on strange activity.

Either they were lying low, had given up, or were planning something big. Atem was unconvinced it was the idea that they had given up, as much as he hoped it could be. He had a sense they were planning something, and he didn't like it.

Most of his days were spent receiving complaints from Kings, villagers, wealthy merchants or rich New World-ers. He did all he could to assure them. At the moment he was thinking of just closing off the palace to _everyone _because he was so irritated, but knew that would only receive negative responses. It was better to talk to everyone. That way he had a chance of getting information on the Soul Collectors.

He opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. One of the doors to the balcony was open, allowing a cool breeze to play across the room. He put his hands behind his head and turned to look at Mana asleep beside him, her eyes closed peacefully.

She could sleep so long that it amazed Atem. He awoke automatically at seven every morning. While Mana was technically allowed to sleep an extra hour, being the queen, she usually didn't. She almost always got up at the same time Atem did so she could spend every moment she could with him, keeping an eye on him at all times. Keeping him safe.

He rolled on to his side and reached over, softly tracing her face. He had awoken about an hour earlier than usual, unable to sleep.

Alert to his touch, her eyes opened blearily and smiled. "Morning," she said sleepily.

Atem closer and put his arm around her, kissing her forehead. "Go back to sleep," he said quietly, "We don't have to get up for another hour."

A wider grin lit her mouth and she scooted closer, nuzzling him. "'Kay," she murmured, and closed her eyes, content to sleep in his arms for another hour.

Atem promptly fell asleep, but it seemed like five minutes later that he was awake again, groaning as he dragged himself out of bed. He cracked his neck and hauled on his tunic, putting on his belt and usual adornments. He was reaching for his cape when he looked around to see Mana curled up under the covers.

He smiled and lifted the covers for a moment, just to kiss her head before leaving her to sleep. Mahad stood outside, and looked mildly surprised to find Atem alone.

"Mana?" he questioned.

"I didn't want to wake her," Atem told him, and the two set off towards the throne room to get things ready for the day. "What's been going on this morning?"

Mahad sighed, "We already have several villagers and kings lined up for today."

Atem inwardly groaned. "Great."

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><p>Mana opened her eyes and after a moment's thought, blinked.<p>

She looked out the window at the sun and cried out: "Almighty Ra! What time is it?" Pushing herself up, she realized Atem was gone. He had let her sleep. Curse him! How she loved him. She threw herself to the closet, tugging on her red dress and crown, scrambling hurriedly to ready herself.

As soon as she was ready, she ran from the room, wand in hand. The guards bowed to her before she dismissed them to the guard house, where they would be assigned elsewhere for the day.

Luckily, she hadn't missed breakfast.

Atem sat at the head of the table and Mana sat to his left, between Mahad and Atem. They both smiled to see her and she grinned. Breakfast was uneventful, but the food was good.

In the throne room, things quickly begun. The first villager was ushered in and promptly began to speak.

Mana glanced at Atem out of the corner of her eye. She stood to his direct right, while Shimon stood to the left. Atem looked bored out of his mind, listening to the villagers and kings complaints. He had heard it a thousand times before and he would hear it a thousand times again.

Finally, Atem called for a break.

The king in waiting would be angry, he knew, but at the moment he just didn't care. He left the room, in the courtyard outside and stretched. Mana joined him, rubbing her eyes. She yawned. "This is boring," she complained.

"I know," Atem agreed, "But someone has to do it."

"Your job sucks."

Atem barked a laugh and wrapped his arms around Mana. "You said it, Mana," he grinned.

"I mean," Mana continued, "Don't they realize that you're doing everything you can?"

He shrugged. "I guess they don't. Most people are clueless, you know." He ducked his head and pressed his lips to her throat, "There are other things I would much rather be doing than listening to their complaints, but…" he trailed off, his lips making a trail up to her cheek. Mana closed her eyes contentedly and Atem rubbed his nose along her cheek, "As I said, someone has to do it. At least I've got you and the others at my side."

"Atem," she said, and then stopped. Thumbing his cheek thoughtfully, she sighed, "I wish you didn't have to do all this."

Atem kissed her for a long moment. Pulling back, they stood embracing, and Mana fondled his neck. She ran her fingers through his hair, thinking. "It's been a long time since we've really played any games," she said. "You know, spent time together."

"We do every night," Atem pointed out.

Mana rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean. Every day if filled with this. Complaints, complaints. 'My mother disappeared and we haven't seen hide nor hair of her in two days!'" she said, sounding just like the man they had previously been listening to, "Or, 'My chickens have gone missing!' They're chickens, and your mother will come back." She shook her head,

Atem threw his head back, laughing. "Oh, Mana," he smiled, "You're the only person in this world keeping me sane." He pulled away, hooking their arms together, "Now come on, we've got more complaints to listen to."

He sounded so mock enthusiastic that Mana had to laugh. She loved him too much.

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><p><strong>Ha ha… yeah, now that they're married I'm willing to go all out. It's fun to write them! X) sorry for the pointless fluffy contents. We're just catching up with my favorite couple, seeing what's going on with them. I'll post another chappy soon.<strong>

**Review, please!**

**-Anevay**


	4. Waiting

**Disclaimer: Man, do I wish I were Kazuki Takahashi—who, by the way, owns Yugioh.**

Author's note: sorry guys! was having problemo's XP anyway, back to Yugi! ^O^

Tsuki: Anevay, you totally got off track last chapter! _Fluff._

Anevay: I couldn't help it! _Don't judge me!_ (Runs off)

Tsuki: (Sighs) Well, here are the thanks and responses, since she's all hypersensitive and decided not to post 'em. Guess I'll just have to reply.

Here they are:

**Fan person**: hahah poor Yugi! _We _love you, Yugi! ;)

**xMocha**: haha it would be _awesome _if Atem thought Yugi was dead! XD I mean, not awesome for Yugi, if he really was, but… I mean… oh, you know what I mean! It would be funny! I'll put in a word with Anevay ;)

**Aqua girl 007**: In this story there will be a balance of drama/friendship/romance. She would have added the romance part but… (shrugs) wouldn't let her add three. This story is not only about stopping the Soul Collectors, but about relationships, whether between couples or friends. Not to mention a few OC's…

Thanks to: **Ash09 **&** xMocha **for adding this to their faves/alerts!

And thanks to **princess atemma **and **fann **for reviewing!

As Anevay said in the AN, back to Yugi!

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><p><em>Waiting<em>

Yugi's hindquarters hurt.

So yes, he was saddle sore.

Riding a horse for three days wasn't exactly what he would call _fun_. He wasn't trained in it. He would be sore for days.

Finally, _finally, _he reached the Palace. It looked exactly like the one in Ancient Egypt. The Pharaoh's Palace. Atem was the _High King _of the Afterlife. The entire Spirit World. It was a bit mind-blowing.

Yugi halted his horse before the palace gates. "Off your horse and state your business, sir," called a guard from the battlements.

Yugi swung painfully down from his horse and knelt on his right knee, holding his left hand palm-forward and high. "I seek an audience with the Pharaoh," he called clearly, remembering proper protocol.

The gates opened slowly—immense gold gates no one could surpass. Yugi stood and walked his horse through the gates, too sore to ride. A man in white and purple robes watched him enter, a tall, dark staff in hand. Standing beside him was supposedly the captain of the guard.

"You seek audience with his highness?" the man asked. He seemed familiar to Yugi. He was tall and his voice was low and hoarse, his gray eyes penetrating.

"Yes, sir," Yugi replied, "As soon as he is able. I wish you to pass on a message to him as quickly as possible."

"Certainly…" the captain of the guard responded, obviously looking for a name.

Yugi thought quickly, and what popped out of his mouth was: "Mr. Muto."

Inside, Yugi smacked himself. He should have thought of something beforehand.

"What is your message to the Pharaoh?" the court member asked.

"Tell him…" Yugi said thoughtfully, "Tell him this: Millennium Puzzle—mind shuffle."

Yugi saw something in the tall Guardian's eyes—a flicker of recognition, or alarm. He wasn't sure, but there was definitely something there.

The captain, however, was very confused, but nodded nonetheless. "I will escort you to your room, sir," the captain said, "Your message will be delivered as soon as is possible."

The Guardian stood aside and watched the captain escort the guest to his room. He was sure the man was familiar to him, but he wasn't sure how. Muto… why did he recognize that name? He shrugged and turned away.

Meanwhile, Yugi was shown to a room in a small building where other guests were staying. Nobility, mostly. Or wealthy people. The peasants were standing in the waiting room, tapping their feet or conversing.

"Oh," someone groaned, "Not another one!"

Yugi turned to a wealthy looking man who was frowning. "Another what?" Yugi asked politely. There was something about the man that bothered him. He was dressed richly in cream robes and gold, a turban on his head.

"Another wealthy man," the man said unpleasantly. "And foreign, too," he added, nodding at Yugi. "That'll put you higher on the waiting list than the rest of us. 'Course," he said, "The peasants get in first, and whoever doesn't get in is sent home. We nobility and wealthy come in the last hours of the day, so the wait is long." He rolled his eyes.

"I don't mind the wait," Yugi said honestly, moving away from the man. He felt strange to Yugi, and he didn't like being around him. He followed the directions of the guard at the door to his room, a fairly small space with a good sized bed and a closet, along with a table and washroom.

He kept the headdress on just in case, but removed his cape and shoes, sprawling out on the bed with his bag beside him. Sighing, he closed his eyes and hoped the wait wouldn't be too long. What were his friends thinking now?

The next day, Yugi paced around the courtyard where the guest house was situated, just hoping for a glance of the Pharaoh. So far, he'd had no luck.

He didn't expect to see him. After all, the Pharaoh was busy.

Midway through the day, he still sat outside. It was quite pleasant outside. In the courtyard over, he heard a commotion—there was shouting and screams. Then he heard something that made his heart leap in his chest in surprise.

It was the Pharaoh's voice, only he was speaking in another language. Probably Egyptian. He was shouting something, and Yugi could hear the anger in his voice.

There were several moments of pure silence, and Yugi felt a cold wind sweep across the world. His heart was pounding. What was going on?

The moment of cold passed and he could feel the relief in the air. There were the slow sound of cheers in the other courtyard, and then… nothing.

The Pharaoh was one courtyard over. It was agonizing.

He could run over there, of course, but then he risked exposure and questioning, and then he could get kicked out of the Palace and…

He sighed. He would just have to wait until it was his turn.

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><p><strong>Short chap, I know :P you'll get another one soon! Like... pronto, cause I didn't post yesterday. Stinkin' FFnet's problems! ^o^<strong>

**You know what to do: review!**

**Oh, and make sure you don't burn your hand when making smores—you'll drop the marshmallow.**

**-Anevay**


	5. Yugi?

**Disclaimer: Do I own Yugioh? … why do I even do a disclaimer when we _all _know that I don't own it? It's a good question if you think about it…**

Author's note: so, since FFnet decided to have problems yesterday, you get two chapters today for the price of one!

Thanks to **Nick-Arach, Aqua girl 007,** **fan person **and **Doragon-chan **for reviewing! And to **Angelellbaby **&** Broken Wolf ' Soul** **Spirit **for adding this to their story alerts ^X^ **Princess atemma**: you'll just have to wait and see! I'm not giving away nothing!

**xMocha**: heheh thanks! XD

Tsuki: _This _is more like it.

(Anevay spits tongue at her, Tsuki does the same)

Tsuki's so mean (not really). On to the chapter!

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><p><em>Yugi?<em>

Sending souls to the Dark Realm was such a nasty business.

A peasant had come in to complain, only to attack the Pharaoh. He hadn't gotten anywhere, of course. He barely managed to bellow and take four steps with his fingers bared when he had every Guardian on him. It was difficult to say which Guardian had intervened first, but Mahad and Mana stepped in front of Atem quick enough to assume it was them.

The man was then thrown from the throne room, where he yelled several unpleasant statements before he was drowned out by Atem chanting in Egyptian, sending him away with a swipe of his hand and a chilly wind.

Presently, the Pharaoh tried unsuccessfully to listen to the old king. The man had nothing to complain about. He lived in considerable luxury, had plenty of wives and space, and knew no conflict other than the constantly disappearing and appearing souls. But they were working on that, a fact the old king was well aware of.

In fact, the Pharaoh wasn't sure why he was there at all, what with his constant nonsense babbling.

"Forgive me," the Pharaoh interrupted, leaning forward slightly, "But I don't se anything for you to complain about."

"I'm complaining about the thin veil!" the old king finally clarified, "People are disappearing and appearing everywhere!"

Atem sighed, "We are aware of that, and we're working on the problem. These things take time, so you must be patient. All souls return here who pass through the living, so you have nothing, at the moment, to complain about. The problem will be dealt with as soon as we are able to diagnose the source of the problem—"

"The source of the problem is rebellion in Darkness!" the old man cried, almost desperate.

"How dare you—" Mahad said, stepping forward.

The Pharaoh held out a swift, placating hand. "Rebellion?" he asked, gripping the arms of his chair, sitting on the edge of his chair as if poised for flight, "How do you know this?"

"Spirits are disturbed," he said, "We are uneasy. Something does not feel right. Darkness is stirring."

Atem's mind was racing. "Thank you," he told the old king, standing and giving a slight bow. "Forgive my impatience, King Leoni."

King Leoni knelt on his right knee and bowed deeply. "It is understandable, my Pharaoh."

"Guards, please escort King Leoni to his room so he may rest. Give him any food he likes," the Pharaoh ordered. Mahad watched his king begin to pace before the throne. Karim, Shada, Seto, Isis, and Mana waited anxiously for orders like Mahad.

"Rebellion," he muttered, "In Darkness. We must see this for ourselves."

Shimon shifted hesitantly, "We will, my King, but first we must find a way to hold souls here in our world."

The Pharaoh nodded thoughtfully, "Mahad, Mana, have you made any leads?"

"So far, only small leads," Mahad said, "But we are getting somewhere." Something came to Mahad's mind and he stepped forward, "Pharaoh, I believe we have a guest who can help us. I only just remembered."

Atem stopped, "A guest? Who?"

"He called himself something strange," Mahad said, and continued as Atem raised his eyebrows, "He said his name was 'Mr. Muto.'"

The King's head whipped around. "What?" he gasped. Was it… Yugi's Grandpa? Mr. Muto? Who could it be?

The Guardians looked at him in concern. Mahad continued hesitantly, "Yes, he told me to give you a message." The Pharaoh gave a gesture for him to keep going. "This is why I believe he may be able to help. He told me to tell you: Millennium Puzzle—Mind Shuffle."

Atem stumbled. They were immediately at his side, asking him if he was alright. Mahad had quickly gripped his arm, and Mana followed his example. "Bring Mr. Muto here immediately," Atem instructed.

The Guardians hesitated. Seto was the first to object, "But my King, you are not well."

"You must rest," Isis agreed.

"No," the Pharaoh said shakily, "I must see him at once."

"But Pharaoh, the Ambassador—" Karim tried.

"The Ambassador has waited a fortnight, I think he can wait a few hours," the Pharaoh dismissed, "Mahad, please."

The Guardians exchanged glances. Their Pharaoh was acting strange indeed.

Mahad left Atem in Mana's hands, hurrying away to do his King's bidding. "Please, Atem," Mana whispered, "Sit down."

If not just to please Mana and get his Guardians to stop worrying, the Pharaoh sat. Mana hovered over him, Shimon at the other side and Seto near by.

No one said anything, but the King's anxiety rubbed off on them all.

* * *

><p>The Guardian and the captain of the guard retrieved Yugi.<p>

"The King wants to see you at once," the Guardian said, "Come."

Yugi jumped to his feet, excitement causing him to move quickly. He followed them, out the waiting room and to the through the hallways. The captain and the Guardian stood in front of him, with soldier surrounding him at a non-hostile distance.

Yugi's heart pounded. He hadn't really seen or heard from the Pharaoh in a year. Excitement made him want to move faster, and they were already moving quite fast.

The soldiers stopped just outside the audience room, and Yugi with them. The Guardian stepped in to the room and announced Yugi formally. "Mr. Muto to see you, your Majesty," he announced, a little less formal than usual.

The Guardian stepped aside, leaving Yugi's view of the audience room clear.

They stood in a row on either side of the throne and on the steps below it: the Sacred Guardians of the Pharaoh. To the left of the throne stood Mana, in a ruby red dress and a gold crown, in the frame of a tiara and encrusted with jewels.

Beside her stood the tall Guardian who had brought Yugi in, standing with a dark staff in hand. He was definitely familiar to Yugi. Beside the man was a woman who looked remarkably like Ishizu—Ishizu had probably descended from her.

To the right stood the Guardian that looked like Kaiba, and beside him two people he couldn't liken to anyone: a bald man and a muscled one.

And seated in the tall gold throne between them all was the Pharaoh.

Everything about him was the same. The white tunic, gold belt and adornments, dark blue cape—he had the same poise and confidence. Those amethyst, narrowed eyes seemed no different than they had been before.

The Pharaoh stood, his face pale and disbelieving.

Yugi hurried forward to stand before him, leaving several feet separating them. "Please," Yugi said, eyes locked with his as he raised a hand to halt, "Allow me to pay my respects."

He knelt on his right knee and bowed his head, draping his arm over his raised left knee. The Pharaoh hurried down the steps to him and placed a hand on his head.

The Guardians watched in fascination, and the High King knelt with the man, his left knee forward. _He _was paying _his_ respects.

"You need not bow to me, my friend," the deep, familiar and confident voice of the Pharaoh broke through Yugi's thoughts, and he brought his head up.

The Pharaoh smiled, his hands on his friend's shoulders. They rose together, and tears filled Yugi's eyes. When he was nearly blinded, he smiled and threw his arms around his long time friend.

The Guardians were non-pulsed, surprised at the sudden embrace. The Pharaoh stepped back with his hands on the other man's shoulders, "Welcome to my home, Yugi Muto."

* * *

><p><strong>Muaha!<strong>

**But hey, on another note: huzzah! They reunited!**

**Review ^O^**

**And again, another note—make sure not to jump on the couch. Wears out the cushion. (random—yeah, it just happens.)**

**-Anevay**


	6. Catching up

**Disclaimer: do I own Yugioh… why don't you figure that out on your own and get back to me?**

Author's note: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed/favorited/alerted this story! So here are the thanks/responses:

Tsuki: I dunno, you've got a lot of people who reviewed this that you gotta respond to…

Anevay: Shut it, Tsuki! _Any_way, here we go... thanks to: **Nick-Arach, me, Aqua girl 007, Sinares, jak dragon, princess atemma, **and **xMocha **for reviewing! And to: **crazy-ghost-girl **& **Sinares **for favoriting/alerting this story!

***Princess **atemma: thanks much for always reviewing! And darling, everyone sees the reviews, so there isn't much _I _can do not to let everyone see it.

***Sinares**: heheh yeeee! I am so glad I was able to make your heart pound ^O^ thanks for the great review as always!

***Jak dragon**: thank you so much! One of my favorite reviews!

**xMocha**: hahah the Guardians are my faves X) thanks for reviewing!

Well, that's about it, so here we go! Next chappy.

* * *

><p><em>Catching up<em>

Yugi wiped his eyes as discreetly as he could, beaming at his friend. "I thought I would never see you again," he managed.

"You should know better than that," the Pharaoh smiled, "We went through far too much together." He looked up at the guards, gripping Yugi's shoulder, "You will leave us, please." The guards left, cautiously looking back.

Atem studied Yugi. "You've grown," he smiled, "But Yugi…" he frowned, concern in his eyes, "You're not…? I mean, how did you…?"

Yugi laughed, "If you're wondering if I'm dead, then no, I'm not dead, Pharaoh."

The Pharaoh sighed with relief, "Good. I didn't think so. You don't _feel _dead. But then, how did you get here?"

Yugi shrugged, "How should I know? One minute I'm walking home and the next I'm here."

"I'm sorry, Yugi," Pharaoh said sincerely, but Yugi waved it off.

"It's not like it's your fault! Besides," he grinned, "I haven't seen you in a year!"

"Yes, and we have much to talk about," Atem smiled and turned Yugi towards the throne, his hand gripping his shoulder. "Yugi, my Sacred Guardians," he said, gesturing to them.

"You know me," Mana beamed.

Yugi grinned knowingly at Atem, "Hello again, Mana."

"Yugi Muto," the tall Guardian with the staff stepped forward, "I am Mahad, the Magician of the palace."

"Magician?" wondered Yugi, and then suddenly made the connection, his eyes brightening. He looked from the Pharaoh and back to Mahad, "Is he…?" he began hesitantly.

The Pharaoh nodded, "You're meeting the real Dark Magician, Yugi. Mahad is a dear friend of mine."

Mahad's eyes smiled and he bowed. "I remember you now, young Yugi," Mahad said, "You are welcome here."

Atem then gestured to his other Guardians: "Seto," (Seto bobbed his head), "Karim, Shada, and Isis."

The three smiled and Isis held out a delicate hand, "Yugi Muto, the vessel of the Pharaoh in the World of the Living—welcome."

Yugi shook her hand, thinking that she looked an awful lot like Ishizu. The Guardians all departed besides Mana and Mahad, leaving them in the throne room.

The Pharaoh put a brotherly arm around Yugi's shoulders, "Tell me, Yugi, how did you get here? To the palace, I mean?"

Yugi immediately set off on a tale of tunics, capes, horses and saddle sores. Mana got them walking by taking Atem's hand and pulling them along. Mahad stood beside Yugi and the four of them walked through first through the Jasmine Garden, where they listened closely to Yugi's story.

Yugi drew a breath, "So, I figured you needed my help."

Atem raised his eyebrows, "Just because you came here?"

Yugi shook his head, "I've been having dreams."

"Dreams?"

Yugi nodded, "They started out as just sort of glimpses of you here in the Afterlife, like you were trying to tell me you were happy. But they changed. For the six months or so I've been having the same dream: you, and a voice saying: Dark Realm. Veil. Soul Collectors. Darkness. Evil power. Hamon—Dark Soul Dragon. Have to stop him. Can't let him get hurt." Yugi shook his head, "I don't know what it means."

The Pharaoh froze in his tracks, his thoughts turning over and over. "Yugi," he said, turning to him and looking him in the eye, "Tell me what I'm thinking."

"What? But, Pharaoh—"

"Just try, Yugi."

Yugi did so, trying to hear the Pharaoh's thoughts in his mind as he used to. Mahad and Mana waited, looking between the two wonderingly. To anyone watching, it would have been a rather strange scene: Atem and Yugi staring in fierce concentration with Mana and Mahad standing beside them, their eyes darting between them like they were watching a ping-pong match.

_Yugi._

Yugi blinked, _Atem?_

_You can hear me?_

_Yes!_

"Remarkable," Atem said aloud, "I can still hear your thoughts!"

"You can?" asked Mahad. He frowned, thinking aloud, "Perhaps there is still something left of your former mind link."

Atem agreed, "There must be if we can still hear one another think." He looked at Yugi, "Those words in your dream. They have been my thoughts for the last six months, ever since all this Soul Collectors business started."

"What _are _the Soul Collectors?"

Atem heaved a sigh and sat on a nearby bench; Mana was next to plop down beside him, yawning and leaning in to him. Yugi set himself on the other side of his friend, waiting for the story to begin. The Pharaoh began from the top.

"About seven or eight months ago, a man appeared at the gate. He was drunk, yelling and shouting nonsense about these Soul Collectors and a rebellion. He disintegrated on the spot minutes later from some unknown force, a force we now believe to be Hamon, a king in charge of one of the provinces—an old, small province from 450 BC. It isn't much, but it's what he rules." He paused, "Or, ruled, I should say."

Yugi cocked his head and waited. Atem gazed up at the sky, lost in thought, while Mahad set himself on the opposite bench, lost in his own thoughts. The Pharaoh continued: "Later, when I was out, a man attacked me." He glanced hesitantly at Mana, who had her eyes closed, leaning on his shoulder. "He didn't do any damage, but he was locked away in our dungeons, where he was interrogated. For a long time, we couldn't get anything out of him. Later, Hamon attacked the palace with what our prisoner called the Dark Soul Dragon. He lost to Slifer and has been missing ever since."

"What about the prisoner?" Yugi prompted, "You said he spoke. What did he tell you?"

"He told us a few things were already knew, and a few things we didn't. He said that the Soul Collectors are gathering valued souls, but to what purpose, he wouldn't say," he let that sink in before continuing, "He said that Hamon wanted to take over the entire Spirit World, and by 'collecting' these valued souls, conquering them, in a sense, he would do so."

"He also told us that Hamon, whom he confirmed as the leader of the Soul Collectors, had been given a gift that allowed him to capture souls and control dark ones. When we interrogated the prisoner, Michael, before, all he would tell us was that 'he' would destroy him. We asked him how he could be destroyed here, and he said that Hamon could control the dark souls and even destroy them. Their energy was then stored."

"Stored where?" Yugi asked.

Atem shook his head, "We don't know. I do know that when a soul is destroyed, it doesn't come back. That is why it is imperative that we stop these Soul Collectors."

Yugi's head was spinning, "So what about Hamon?"

"You know how I said he _used _to rule a small kingdom?" Yugi nodded. "It's gone. Vanished. Just like souls all over our world and yours."

"But why?"

Atem held out his hands in a gesture of confusion, "That's what we've been trying to figure out. However, we got a lead today just before you came in."

Yugi frowned, "What was it?"

"Rebellion in the Dark Realm."

There was a moment of silence during which they were each lost in their own thoughts. "Well," Yugi said, surprisingly cheerful, "I guess you do need my help."

Atem grinned, but his smile faded. "Yugi, I don't want to…"

He stopped when Yugi interrupted: "Don't want to include me because you've already put me through so much?" he shook his head, grinning, "It's like you said, Atem. We've been through too much together. If you're in trouble, I'm going to help."

"Thank you, Yugi," Atem said sincerely, "But I don't want to put you in danger."

"I don't care," Yugi said stubbornly, folding his arms.

The Pharaoh just smiled fondly, knowing he would never get Yugi to leave if he was determined to help. He stared down at the ground, his eyes tightening. How could he protect his family, his Guardians, his people, Yugi and the entire world from these people?

He closed his eyes. He had done it before, he supposed he could do it again with the help of Yugi, Mana, Mahad, Seto, Isis…

Yugi broke through his thoughts with a playful nudge. "So…" he began, changing the subject and smiling rather slyly, "Anything happen since you left?"

The Pharaoh blinked, "What?" then he laughed, "Yugi!"

"What?" Yugi asked innocently, "It's been a year. We might as well not linger on the bad things right now and just catch up."

Atem nodded. Yugi always seemed to get to the heart of things. A gusty breath escaped his lips, "You're right, Yugi. I forget sometimes that not everything has to be bad."

Yugi squeezed his shoulder, grinning. Again, he nudged him in the arm. "So—you and Mana?"

Atem laughed, "Yugi!"

* * *

><p><strong>Hehe! End it all happy ^o^ I just had to. Hope you liked it! <strong>

**Just kind of a background story and stuff on the plot. If you're wondering about the details, go read THE AFTERLIFE! Warning: it does contain Vaseshipping X)**

**Anywho, you know what you gotta do: review, blah, blah.**

**Tip: if you're taking a test and you don't know the answer…**

**Well, when in doubt choose C!**

**-Anevay**


	7. A dark intruder

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh? Belong to me? Funny.**

Author's note: so sorry, guys! I had to do my book report and then I was super tired and well… sometimes I have to put homework before FFnet. Here we go!

Here are the thanks/responses:

Thanks to: **dragonic devil,****YugixaibouxYami, HeartXCrossbones **&** Afrolady114! **for favoriting/alerting this story!

For reviewing: **Aqua girl 007, Doragon-chan, fan person, HeartXCrossbones, Angel's Riot, xMocha,** **Nick-Arach **&** me!**

**Nick-Arach**: another, as of late, faithful reviewer/reader! Thank you so much! XD I've gotten that complement before, which tells me I must be consistent with it, and I'm so glad it's a constant fact! I do my best! And I do agree—I miss the old gang too!

**xMocha**: Ah, glad you kept that in mind! The mark on Atem's wrist—we'll get to that momentarily, my friend. All in due time. Hehe thanks, I like the ending too.

**Angel's Riot**: I love the brotherly love! But yes, of course Yugi would know hahah. Atem's gotta catch up. Thank you for reviewing whenever you can ^o^ I have come to very much enjoy reading your reviews.

**Fan person**: All good! Glad you're liking it ^O^

Forward, soldiers!

* * *

><p><em>A dark intruder<em>

In the morning, Yugi usually stayed around the areas of the Palace he knew how to navigate. He'd jump on the trampoline the Pharaoh had shown him and he went swimming after noon.

From around three-o'clock to five, Atem was free. It was during these two hours that he and Yugi would catch up.

Starting at five, however, the Pharaoh had to listen to complaining nobility and the wealthy. Depending on how many there were in waiting, Atem was almost always busy until nine or ten—once, even midnight.

By that time he was exhausted and crashed in to bed with Mana.

Yugi sighed. He only saw his friend at meals and the two hours of Atem's break, which were sometimes dedicated to training or sending messages—or dealing with appearances of Soul Collectors in the city. Atem never let him tag along for those kind of outings.

He wouldn't even let him stay in the throne room during the day. Sometimes there were a few servant boys to talk to, but most of the time he was rather bored.

Atem had told Mana to spend time with Yugi one day while he was busy, and Mana had—because she liked Yugi. He reminded her of Atem in a lot of ways, and he was fun to hang around.

But the whole day, Mana had constantly worried about Atem. Figetting, thinking, constantly worrying. It was her job to protect him, and it felt strange not to be doing it.

She had enjoyed keeping Yugi company, but Yugi could tell it was too nerve-racking for her to do it all the time. Yugi had said as much to her, at which Mana had quickly disagreed, but they both knew it was true.

So Yugi was mostly alone.

The hammock he laid in, in the Plum Courtyard, swung side to side, lulling Yugi to sleep.

It was only when he heard what he thought was a loud, aching crack that he shot up n alarm—right out of the hammock.

He uttered a cry of surprise as the hammock swung out of control and he rolled right out the side and on to the grass. He grunted at the impact. "Ow," he muttered.

"Are you alright, Yugi?"

Yugi looked up to see the Pharaoh standing over him with the suspicion of a smile lingering on the corners of his lips.

"Yeah," Yugi said, pushing himself into a sitting position, "What time is it?"

The Pharaoh got down on one knee beside him and glanced out the canopy, up at the sun. "Two-thirty," he determined.

"Did you get out early?" Yugi wondered.

The Pharaoh nodded. "Odd, isn't it?" he grinned.

"It's great!" Yugi grinned back.

They both got to their feet and set off a bench beneath the shade of one of the plum trees. "I have a bad feeling, Yugi," the Pharaoh began.

"I do to," Yugi said. "I've felt it ever since I got here." He frowned, "A… man in the waiting room triggered it, and it's been growing ever since."

"A man?" the Pharaoh wondered, "What man?"

Yugi shrugged, "He must have been wealthy or noble or something, but I got a bad vibe from him."

"Strange," Atem murmured.

"Maybe he's still here," Yugi suggested.

"Maybe," the Pharaoh agreed, "But how would we know it was him?"

Yugi shrugged again, feelings for his hair and remembering that it was in his headdress. Atem grinned. "I'm surprised it fits," he joked.

Yugi laughed, "It's weird!"

"If your hair was showing, they might have mistaken you for my long lost younger brother," said Atem.

Yugi grinned, looking up at the branches, they brought back a memory from what had woken him.

That sharp, aching crack.

"What is it, Yugi?"

"Did you hear a weird cracking noise a while ago?"

"No," Atem replied curiously.

"It was what woke me up," Yugi continued, "What made me fall out of the hammock."

Atem frowned, "I don't know, Yugi. Maybe you dreamt it."

"Maybe."

* * *

><p>The Pharaoh was back in the throne room, listening to complaints—poor guy.<p>

Yugi was doing some sleuthing.

He had been given a room of his own, so he wasn't in the guest house anymore. He snuck back in through the back door. He prowled the halls for that feeling, just hoping to feel it and find the man. He would be helping the Pharaoh—protecting him.

On the second floor, he stopped.

He was here. He was sure of it.

Slowly, he paced down the hall, carefully sensing the feeling he had inside him. The feeling of darkness.

Half way down hallway, he stopped.

He hesitated.

The door burst open. A man stood in the doorway—the same man Yugi had seen when he arrived. Jagged hair and a jagged face, he smiled. It wasn't a pleasant smile. "Well, well, who is this?"

* * *

><p>Atem suddenly sat ramrod straight on the edge of his chair. A sudden sense of panic ran up his spine.<p>

_Yugi,_ he thought immediately, eyes wide.

He jumped to his feet, interrupting the wealthy man before him. "I'm sorry," he said quickly, before the man could speak, "But an emergency has come up."

Without waiting for the man to speak, he jumped down the steps before the throne and ran from the room. Mana was right on his tail, with the other Guardians soon behind them. They followed him to the guest house, which he ran through, straight to the second floor.

Atem found the man pushing Yugi against the wall, trying to see his wrist and crying: "Are you him? _Are you him?"_

"_Get your hands off him!"_ a baritone voice bellowed, and the next thing the man knew he was flying to the ground with someone pinning him down. The two went into a scuffle, one which Yugi was keen to help in.

The man, richly clad in deep brown, battled the Pharaoh hand for hand. The Pharaoh pinned him against the wall, but the man seized him by the wrist and ripped off his gold bracelet with one hand. With the other he pushed Atem in the chest, up against the wall. The hand on his wrist clamped around it tightly.

Just as the Guardians burst in to the hall, the Pharaoh cried out in anger and pain.

"_Pharaoh!"_

Yugi, closest, felt the pain on his wrist that Atem felt and clutched at it, hissing. Automatically, he pounced on the man holding the Pharaoh down. He pulled his arms under the man's chin, jerking him back and away. Atem fell to the ground, grabbing his wrist.

Mahad and Seto jumped in then, pushing him to the ground while Mana sprung in front of Atem, crouching down before him protectively.

Mahad spoke a spell and the struggling man went out cold.

Everyone breathed rather heavily. Mana turned to Atem, reaching for his wrist. He held it out, breathing deeply, while Mana carefully inspected it. Yugi met Atem's eyes: "You alright, Yugi?" he breathed.

Yugi nodded, "You?"

"Could be better," he cracked a smile and Yugi grimaced.

"A _djed?_" Mana wondered, carefully fingering his wrist. A _djed _was the representation of a human backbone, symbolic stability and strength. "Atem…" she muttered, and looked up at him with hard eyes, "This has been reopened."

* * *

><p><strong>Ooooo Mana found out… whats gonna happen…? <strong>

**Sorry I didn't update yesterday :P homework, being tired, school... blah, blah blah. Another chapter coming in a bit. Hang tight!**

**-Anevay**


	8. Arguing

**Disclaimer: Nope—don't own Yugioh.**

Author's note: short note—whoo!

Tsuki: Nothing important to say?

Anevay: … no, don't think so.

Tsuki: Okay…

Anevay: Is there something you know that I should know?

Tsuki: No, no, nothing.

Anevay: … _any_way—ignore Tsuki, she's weird.

Well, only have **Aqua girl 007 **and **fan person** to thank for reviewing!

On to where we left off—or somewhere around there.

* * *

><p><em>Arguing<em>

Yugi was sure Atem was in trouble, he just didn't know how _much _trouble.

Who was Atem in trouble with?

Mana.

The man had been taken to the dungeons, where he was now locked away and under constant guard and protected by a few of Mahad's spells. Now, Yugi sat in the kitchen as Calpernia, the Palace cook, fussed over him. He had no mark like the Pharaoh's on his wrist, but he _had _been attacked, and strangely, Calpernia had taken a liking to him.

She fed him whatever food he liked, but he couldn't help wondering and worrying a bit about Atem. Mana obviously hadn't known about the mark, and from the look on both Isis and Shimon's faces, neither had they. Yugi was more afraid of Mana at the moment than Shimon, and Shimon could be pretty scary.

"Thanks, Calpernia," Yugi sighed, "But I'm stuffed now."

"Alright, dear," she said, "If you need anything, just come on in."

"Okay, thanks." Yugi left the kitchen, hoping to find Atem. It was heading to one of the gardens that he heard raised voices.

One was deep and the other rather high, but both were angry, the higher one more emotional than anything. Yugi hurried along faster, hoping to hear what was going on and jump in, but he realized he couldn't understand what they were saying.

They were speaking in Ancient Egyptian. Lovely.

Cautiously, he peeked around the corner. Sure enough, it was Atem and Mana.

They stood several feet apart, shouting angrily. Atem turned and paced back and forth while Mana ranted in Egyptian, trying to convince him of something. The Pharaoh shook his head, but Mana continued passionately, enunciating sharply.

Atem said something back, swiping arm across his body as an emphasizing point, as if to say: that is my final decision. There will be no more discussion.

Mana got in his face and yelled something, more emotional than angry, before marching away from him, huffing furiously.

Atem watched her go for a moment. He took a step as if to pursue her, hesitant, but, throwing his hands in the air in exasperation, he tromped in the opposite direction instead.

Yugi sighed, seeing the tense, tight line his friend's body made. The Pharaoh was in big trouble, alright. But maybe Yugi could help.

* * *

><p>Atem was boiling.<p>

He was more angry at himself than anything, but he couldn't admit that.

He paced around and around in the courtyard square, anger, worry and spite fighting for his attention all at once. His argument with Mana echoed in his head.

"_Why didn't you tell me?" she shouted, "Why did you have to hide it from me? Where's supposed to be in this together! How am I supposed to know you're not hiding anything else from me?"_

"_I didn't want you to worry you! I was trying to keep you from, worrying about me more!"_

"_Atem, you worry me everyday! I worry about your safety, about everyone's safety—I'm _supposed _to! Not only am I your Guardian, I am your _wife!_ That means we do things together!"_

"_Not if it puts you in danger."_

"_I have to be in danger sometimes. It's life! That's how it is! Just because you _can _protect me doesn't mean you should!"_

"_Then what am I supposed to do?" Atem replied, "If I lost you, there would be no point in continuing, Mana. If I can protect you, I'm going to."_

"_So does that mean you'll hide things from me just to protect me? How far will that go?" she demanded._

"_You have to _trust _me—"_

"_Trust you? After you were hurt and didn't tell me? I want you to tell me things, Atem, not protect me. You can't protect everyone. You need people at your side to _help _you protect others. That is why I am your Guardian! Not only that, but Atem, I am your _wife_!"_

_He shook his head and turned away, pacing._

_Mana took another shot at it. "I am your wife, Atem, and because I am and because you are my husband we do things together. We stick together. Why can't you just accept that? You can't protect me from everything. Eventually I'm going to have to stand up for myself and fight _for _you. You're my best friend, Atem, and I love you, but I will not stand for being kept in the dark!"_

"_Mana, I am the Pharaoh! It's my responsibility to keep my people safe! To keep _you_ and everyone else in this palace safe and the World of the Living! I know you can take care of yourself, but I'm not willing to take that risk if I can do something, anything, to keep you safe and worry free. I didn't want to tell you—"_

_He got no further. "Oh, so you don't want to my own safety in to my own hands? I can handle myself!"_

_Atem swept his hand across his body in finality, "That is my final say on it, Mana! I won't have you put at risk. It's my responsibility."_

"_Well, fine, if that's the way you feel, then I guess you don't need me to protect you, Mr. I'm-the-Pharaoh. I'm done trying to convince you!" she shouted, crying now. She got in his face, "I guess you don't trust me!"_

_That stung him. Without another word, Mana turned and stomped away._

He had wanted to go after her, but his pride wouldn't let him, so he turned away and now here he stood, pacing and pitying himself. He buried his face in his hands, _I'm such an idiot._

"Yes, yes you are," someone replied to his thoughts.

Atem groaned, planting himself on the bench. "You saw it?"

Yugi nodded, "Yeah, but I didn't understand it until you recapped it in your head. That's some argument."

"I can't believe I said what I did," Atem said in to his hands. "Yugi, what am I supposed to say? She won't talk to me now."

Mana not talking to him… he could think of no worse torture. The thought of not being able to lie next to her that night, to talk to her…

He visibly shuddered.

Yugi set his hand on the Pharaoh's shoulder, "Apologize. Tell her how much you care about her. She cares about you a lot—she has to forgive you."

"But what if she doesn't?"

Atem still hadn't brought his head up from his hands. Yugi rolled his eyes to himself. "Atem," he said to get his attention. When Yugi didn't continue, Atem looked up. "You love Mana, don't you?" Yugi asked.

Atem nodded.

"So tell her. Be honest. Apologize," he smiled slightly, "That's really all you _can _do, isn't it? If she loves you as much as you love her—and I know she does—then she'll have to forgive you."

Atem sat up and took a long, deep breath of air. "You're right," he agreed, more confident now, "I'll talk to her."

"Good."

Atem smiled fondly at his young friend, "Thank you, Yugi."

"Anytime, Atem," Yugi smiled in reply, "It's what I do."

* * *

><p><strong>There's another little bit of conflict! X)<strong>

**I know, you must hate me. One cliffhanger last time and another one this time. Don't you just love 'em? (Don't worry, I hate them too. I just like writing them. Such fun!)**

**So, review! If you're at all confused about anything, go back and read ****THE AFTERLIFE**,** and things should be pretty clear.**

**Off to bed! I'm tired. Shee ya next time, peoples.**

**-Anevay**


	9. The missing King of Games

**Disclaimer: ugh! Another one? Do the words 'fanfiction' and 'disclaimer' mean nothing to you?**

Author's note: Alright, I gotta get to my friends house so let's get this updated!

Tsuki: You're weird.

Anevay: Thank you, Tsuki, for your, as always, valuable contribution to this story…

Tsuki: I don't know whether to be insulted or not.

Anevay: Good—I mean—good! _Anyway…_awkward. Here are the usual thanks/responses:

Thanks to the reviewers: **me, Aqua girl 007, Angel's Riot, jak dragon, fan person, xMocha **& **Nick-Arach!**

**Me: **How old am I, you ask? How about we leave that up to question? Go ahead and guess and if you get it right, I'll let you know.

**Aqua girl 007**: I know :O but the thing is that they're not used to arguing or disagreeing or lying to each other so the first wrong between them would get… well, you see the result.

**Angel's Riot: **Oh, seriously! But same thing as I said to Aqua girl 007 above—their first argument, after absolutely nothing goes wrong between them for _so _long—seriously, _so _long, like five-thousand years long—their first argument would get pretty messy. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

**Jak dragon**: darling, Vaseshipping is the AtemxMana pairing ^O^ my favorite, as you can tell. There are lots of different pairing names!

**xMocha**: hahah your little review comments made me laugh.

**Nick-Arach**: hahah oh Atem ^-^ he's such a guy ;)

Thanks to **love Seshomaru 1988** for favoriting this story and **JakeKontan **for adding me to their author alerts!

That's about it—whoo. Okay, onward then!

* * *

><p><em>Where's Yugi?<em>

Yugi was worried that his friends were, well, having a minor heart attack that he was quite possibly missing.

He had talked to Atem about it multiple times, wondering what to do. Atem's answer was simple.

"Why don't you try to communicate with them?"

"Communicate?" Yugi asked, "Atem, how am I supposed to communicate with them?"

"Yugi, you have such a strong bond with your friends that if you try to talk to them, I'm sure they'll hear you."

Yugi had to agree that Atem was probably right. He usually was.

Ever since that day, he had tried to do so multiple times, but he had no clue if they were getting anything from him, and that discouraged him even more. All he could do was keep trying.

* * *

><p><em>Two weeks earlier<em>

_One week after Yugi disappeared_

Tea, Joey and Tristan had looked everywhere for Yugi. There was a huge search for him all over Domino city and beyond. It was almost a world-wide search. Everyone was worried sick. Where was the King of Games?

"What if something terrible happened to him?" Tea asked miserably.

"We'll find him, Tea," Joey said, attempting to calm her.

"Yeah," Tristan agreed, "I'm sure he's alright."

They sat in silence for minutes at a time, just hoping that their buddy was safe.

That night, they all had the same dream.

They saw Yugi dressed strangely. He was wearing a weird headdress to cover his hair, but it was him. The big violet eyes, the blonde bangs peeking through the headdress despite being covered, the smile—it was definitely Yugi.

He also wore a black tunic, and he was adorned in gold and amethyst jewels—he even wore a blue cape. He appeared to be in a garden, walking along through the tall trees.

He saw on a bench beside someone, and the two smiled at one another.

It was someone they all knew.

The Pharaoh.

* * *

><p>Since the dream, the three had tried to make sense of it.<p>

The Pharaoh was dead. Did that mean Yugi was… too?

They refused to accept that. But what else could it mean? Yugi had already been gone for almost three weeks now. The dream was the only thing they had to hold on to, so they held on to it as hard as they could.

"Maybe…" Joey said, his face scrunching in concentration.

"Maybe what?" said Tea.

"I'm thinking, hang on," Joey replied.

Tristan held his hands up in mock alarm, "Uh-oh, Joey's thinking."

"Shut it, Tristan, this is serious!"

"Okay, okay!"

Tea rolled her eyes. Boys. "What are you thinking, Joey?" she prompted, shooting a sharp glance Tristan's way.

"I'm thinking…" (another glance at Tristan), "That maybe Yugi is trying to contact us."

"You think?" Tristan asked, his face deadpan.

Tea and Joey shot him a suspicious glance, but otherwise ignored the intended pun. "Yeah, I mean, it's not like Yugi would just disappear and not try to talk to us, right?"

Tea nodded slowly, "Right."

Tristan frowned, "Then what should we do?"

"Try to contact him," Joey said simply.

"That's a great idea, Joey, but how do we do that?" Tristan inquired sarcastically.

Joey's eyes crossed and he rubbed his chin, looking down in fierce concentration, "We'll… we'll…"

Tea finished his sentence, sticking out her hand. "We'll put our hands together and think about Yugi. Maybe he'll get the message."

Tristan put his on top of Tea's and Joey followed suit, "Why do we always do the hand thing?"

"Shut up, Joey, and do what you've been doing for the past and _only_ five minutes of your life—think!"

* * *

><p><strong>Hahaha cheeeeesy moment! I love writing these guys. Well, hope you liked it. Kind of short, but I'll update in a bit again, sound good?<strong>

**Remember not to poke yourself with a pin when sewing, putting buttons on your backpack, or anything else with pins!**

**-Anevay**


	10. Making up

**Disclaimer: This show, these characters, are not mine—never will be. _Never._ Except, you know, the ones that I do own.  
><strong>

Author's note: let's see… nothing interesting to say today. Let's get on to the thanks/responses/all that great stuff!

Reviewing: **Nick-Arach, princess atemma, Angel's Riot, me, **& **Aqua girl 007!**

**Princess atemma:** yep, you guessed my age, girly.

**Me**: you guessed it to! You both got my age right on the first try.

**Angel's Riot**: haha thanks for reviewing despite your exhaustion ;)

**Aqua girl 007**: It was my intention to end it like that ^o^ I like Joey and Tristan—so many people take them for granted!

Well, that's it.

Tsuki: 'Bout time.

Anevay: Why are you even here?

Tsuki: 'Cause I come in to this eventually!

Anevay: Uh, yeah, _eventually. _Anyway, here we go.

Tsuki: but I still have so—

Anevay: Enjoy the chap!

* * *

><p>Making up<p>

Atem tried to talk to Mana. He tried to apologize and get her to listen. In their free time he would follow her around, trying to get her to talk to him.

She was either playing with him or she was really, really angry.

He was trying to talk to her now, walking backwards while she continued walking, staring through him imperviously. "Mana, how am I supposed to apologize if you won't talk to me?"

Mana tried to go around him. That was too much for Atem. He stepped closer, grabbed her waist and hauled her over his shoulder. He was fed up with her attitude.

She screeched. "Atem, let me go!"

"Never!"

She squirmed, but Atem was too strong. He held on to her with an iron grip.

They passed Yugi, who blinked and smiled. "Um, hey guys."

"Hi, Yugi," Atem replied with a smile, "I'll be back in a bit."

Mana pounded his shoulder. "Put me _down!"_

"That, my dear Mana, would defeat the purpose. If I did that, you would run away, and I can't have that if I'm to apologize."

Mana continued to squirm. Yugi watched them walk away, hoping Mana would listen to Atem. "Uh, good luck," he said.

Atem continued to carry Mana across the Palace. She increased her protests, and finally Atem pulled her down in one of the less visited gardens.

However, she had no chance to escape.

Atem set her down by a wall, which he pinned her to. He didn't just have his arms on either side of her so she was trapped—oh no, he had his body flat against hers from torso to feet, his face centimeters away.

Automatically, Mana's face colored and her heart sped. He was dead serious.

"Mana," Atem said, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it in the first place. But you were wrong in assuming I don't think you can protect yourself," his amethyst eyes bore into her aquamarine-green ones. "You are one of the most capable Magicians, second only to Mahad. I will never underestimate you."

He paused to make sure had had Mana's attention. Her gaze was riveted on him. "You _are _my wife. We _are _in this together. I'm sorry."

Mana was silent. Atem waited anxiously for her to say something, anything at all.

Mana's eyes softened and she let out a breath. After a moment, she touched their foreheads together and smiled, kissing him.

Atem relaxed and the kiss deepened.

Yugi quickly ducked back behind the wall, his cheeks red. He knew eavesdropping was a bad idea!

He jumped to his feet and—against his better judgment—peeked around the corner. As he was pulling back, he saw someone else on the other side of Atem and Mana duck back too. Yugi ran down the hall, around to the other side.

Checking around the corner, Mahad smiled sheepishly at him and shrugged helplessly. Yugi shook his head.

"You're the last person I was expecting, Mahad," Yugi said.

Mahad's eyes smiled. "Well, if they are both going to be distracted, someone has got to keep an eye on the Pharaoh."

Yugi nodded at the reasoning. "They okay?"

Mahad did a fast check. "Yes. More than okay, I would say." Yugi laughed quietly, and Mahad eyed him suspiciously. "Why are you here, Yugi?"

Yugi blinked and assured him quickly: "Oh, I just wanted to see how things would go! I wanted to make sure they made up. Make sure the Pharaoh didn't need my help," he added with a grin and slight laugh. "Well, I'll leave you to it, Mahad."

Mahad nodded and Yugi turned away, just thinking about everything.

What would happen in the next few days? Atem had plans to talk to the man they had caught yesterday, and that would reveal several things to them. While two weeks ago there had been little to no activity from the Soul Collectors, it had increased so much that they had guards patrolling each province, every king on the look out.

Yugi could feel it. Something big was coming.

But what?

* * *

><p><strong>Another shorty, yeah. I'll update again soon!<strong>

**Wheat bread is surprisingly good.**

**-Anevay**


	11. All a Puzzle

**Disclaimer: sigh. Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.**

Author's note: here's a plot/intensity chap!

Thanks for reviewing **Aqua girl 007, me, **& **fan person!**

**Me: **Aw, thanks! XD

Well, not much more to say—supper short note!

Tsuki: I can babble on and _make_ it long.

Anevay: Ah, no, that's okay. Let's get on before Tsuki takes control.

* * *

><p><em>A puzzle to solve<em>

Tea, Joey and Tristan tried to reach Yugi again.

"_Yugi? Can you hear us?"_

"_Yugi—Yugi—Yugi."_

Yugi turned in his sleep, hearing the voices of his friends. _Guys?_

"_I think its working! Yugi? Yug, where are you?"_

He tried to respond, and managed, somehow.

_I'm in the Afterlife, with the Pharaoh. I was walking and then suddenly I was here. Don't worry, I'm not dead. I'm helping the Pharaoh. He needs my help._

The rest of the gang, on the other side of the veil, focused on one more question: _"When will you be back?"_

_I don't know. Things are bad here. Atem needs me. Don't worry, tell Grandpa and mom I'm okay._

"_Yugi!"_

The connection was gone. "Well, we know where he is," Tristan said gustily.

"Yeah, but we don't know when he'll be back," Joey frowned downheartedly.

Tea sighed, "He's with the Pharaoh. He'll be okay. We should tell Grandpa and Mrs. Muto where he is, they've been so worried. At least we know he's safe."

The other two nodded. "Lucky Yug," Joey said, folding his arms, "He gets to see the Pharaoh and we don't." They knew they all missed the Pharaoh, and lucky Yugi got to help him. Joey shook his head, "Wish we could help."

* * *

><p>Yugi very nearly ran to breakfast. He grinned and took his new spot beside the Pharaoh, who raised his eyebrows. Yugi just smiled pleasantly and waited for breakfast to begin.<p>

Later, he, Atem and Mana sat outside beneath one of the plum trees. Atem had cancelled all activities for the day. It was Sunday, he said, and they all needed a break. They would train today as well as interrogate the man in the dungeons, who had a _lot _of explaining to do.

"So, Yugi," Atem began, "Why so excited?"

Yugi immediately exploded, "I contacted Tea, Joey and Tristan!"

"You did?" Atem said, "When?"

"Last night! They talked to me in a dream and I told them I was okay. I told them I was with you," he grinned, "They wanted to know when I would be back."

Atem sighed, "I feel bad keeping you here, Yugi. You're in danger here. What happened the other day is testament to that."

"Don't feel bad, Atem," Yugi assured him, "Besides, you pretty much saved me from that guy. I want to help you. I don't care if I'm in danger."

"But I do," Atem pointed out.

Yugi rolled his eyes, "Yeah, but you can't force me to go home."

"I guess you're right," Atem replied, "Everyone must be worried about you, though."

"Let them worry," Yugi grinned, "I'm staying here until all of this is resolved."

Mana laid her head on Atem's lap and stared up through the branches. She frowned and pointed up, "Why is that branch broken?"

Yugi and Atem looked with her, and Yugi got to his feet quickly. "Atem!" he said, "The branch is broken! Remember that cracking sound I heard yesterday?"

Atem's eyes flashed in alarm. "Someone was spying on you!" he exclaimed, obviously upset.

Mana sat up and nimbly climbed the tree to inspect the branch. "Someone spying on Yugi? No one even knows who he really is except us Guardians. I don't even think Shimon, Aknamkanon or Amisi really know."

Atem stood and frowned. His expression was troubled—he was distressed at the idea of anyone noticing that Yugi was more than a friend visiting. Sure, Yugi had gotten lots of attention and questions, but so far no one had dared to look in to it any further. All everyone really knew was that he was a friend of the Pharaoh's, and that alone was enough to get everyone to back off.

Yugi's violet eyes looked thoughtful, "But why spy on me?"

"That's a good question," Atem muttered, "Something we'll have to ask our _guest _this afternoon. For now, you'll stay with me, Yugi."

* * *

><p>Atem began with the first and foremost question: "What's your name?"<p>

"Trevor," he said airily. "Any other stupid questions?"

The Pharaoh's brow darkened. "Why are you here?"

"To gain access to you, why else?" Trevor replied easily. "I meant to brand the boy as well, but I ran in to a complication."

"What kind of complication?" the Pharaoh asked.

"I wasn't sure if he was him or you," Trevor said, jerking his head at Atem.

"What do you mean?" Mahad frowned.

"The boy has the same feeling as the Pharaoh, that's what I mean," he said, "The same kind of aura. I was checking for the mark to see which one of you it was, and then I was going to take him. Of course, we need both of you, so I suppose it wouldn't matter if I had checked at all, but he needs the boy first, Pharaoh, so it was best to check."

Atem's heart pounded, his breath coming shallowly. "What do you want with the boy?" he demanded, stepping closer, "Why do you need him?"

Trevor's brow rose. "He's powerful too, you know, and valued. You've heard it before, I assume, that he's sort of a modern day version of yourself? Well, he may be young, but he has the same sort of strong soul you do."

The Pharaoh's amethyst eyes were burning. "Why him first?"

Trevor shrugged, "To torture you, of course. You're last. Revenge, and all. I just do his bidding."

"Why tell us all we need to know?" Seto said suspiciously.

"If I'm going to disintegrate, I might as well go out with a good smack at Hamon. He's not too pleasant to work with. Anyone captured is destroyed either way, because we jeopardize the project," he rolled his eyes, "So I'm going to go out with a bang. Serve Hamon right for trying to go against the real power."

"Were you spying on the boy?" Atem glared, not wanting to reveal Yugi's name.

"Spying?" Trevor asked blankly, "No. He must have another man here. Maybe an insider, possibly someone you trust or other. You might want to watch your servants, Pharaoh, and what you say around them." He eyed the Guardians at this statement.

"What are Hamon's plans?" Atem asked, pacing.

"He's been quietly executing his plans for the last three weeks, only it leaked out about a week ago, so now you know about some of the activity, right?"

"What has he been doing?"

"Capturing king's and nobility's souls and replacing them with his own men, disguised as the former rulers so you wouldn't be suspicious. Like I said, someone screwed up and now things are getting hot. You're seeing more of us out there, doing his dirty work. In a few weeks he'll have enough power to release the dark souls."

The temperature in the room dropped. "No," Atem said quietly, "That can't be."

"Hate to break it to ya, Pharaoh, but that's how things have been progressing. There are only a few kingdoms we haven't dared to attack, or managed to get access to in any way. Security is too tight. Your security, however, is pretty lax. Guess you've been infiltrated," Trevor smirked.

"You're not telling us this out of the goodness of your heart," Seto spat.

Trevor shook his head, "Oh, no, definitely not. These are things I want you to know to help someone else overthrow Hamon _and _you. My soul will be saved before long. I'm supposed to tell you this. Just be aware," he whispered, "That there are greater powers at work here."

* * *

><p>Atem still wouldn't let Yugi in on the interrogation. Instead, he left him with <em>Shimon <em>and his father, Aknamkanon, of all people. Talk about awkward.

"So, Yugi," Aknamkanon said conversationally, "Where is it you come from?"

"Uh," Yugi said uncertainly. How was he supposed to answer that, exactly?

Shada came running around the corner. "Master Yugi," he called. The Guardians and everyone else had taken to calling him that lately. "The Pharaoh wants you in the interrogation room."

Saved by Shada. He quickly followed the bald Guardian to the dungeons, gratefully leaving Shimon and Aknamkanon behind. That conversation would have gone from awkward to bad fast.

Walking in the interrogation room, the man was laughing. He was now tied to a chair in the center of the room with the Pharaoh looming over him. "Tell me who this other power is!" he shouted, "Tell me!"

"Oh, Pharaoh, there are so many things you don't know!" the man smiled, "Like who's next, and how things are gonna end up." His eyes traveled the Guardians and lingered on Yugi, who had just entered and now froze. The man continued, "He'll be first."

"_You leave him alone!" _the Pharaoh bellowed, his true temper breaking free. "Do you hear me, Hamon? Do you hear me, Trevor?" he whispered, his eyes murderous, "Anyone lays a hand on him and you'll regret it. That's a promise."

"It's all a puzzle," Trevor smirked, "Or maybe it's two, and somehow they fit together."

The Pharaoh growled under his breath, amethyst eyes dark and expression ferocious.

"Goodbye, Pharaoh," Trevor whispered, "I have nothing more to say to you."

Then suddenly, there was a freezing wind and the room went pure black.

* * *

><p>"<em>Yugi,"<em> Atem moaned, and his eyes flashed open. He was still in the interrogation room, and everyone was out cold around him. He shot up, "Yugi!"

* * *

><p><strong>Muahahah, I feel evil.<strong>

**Another update tomorrow! Review! ^o^ you know, the more reviews and the sooner I update! Just a hint. It gets me motivated.  
><strong>

**-Anevay  
><strong>


	12. The Pharaoh's Rage

**Disclaimer: Do I own Yugioh? That's debatable. I own this story and plot, along with a few OC's, but other than that… no, I don't own that much at all, actually.**

Author's note: mmm, chocolate milk… oh, hey! So guys, was last chapter a bit of a mouthful? If so, let me know so I can do better next time. I very much accept constructive criticism! Anything of or weird or wrong or well, _anything,_ let me know. I want to become a better writer, and I can't do that unless I get some feedback.

Tsuki: Aw, screw the note! Let's get _on _with it! I'm dying!

Anevay: Alright, alright, but first the thanks/responses:

Reviewers: **Nick-Arach, princess atemma, oh someone you know (haha!), Angel's Riot, xMocha, fan person, jak dragon**

**Oh someone you know**: hahah I like to write cliffhangers! Even if I don't like to read 'em, it adds to the suspense. And well, thank you! I like Yugi ^o^

**Angel's Riot**: haha thanks again for the review. Don't worry, we'll resolve this problem here and now! Yugi doesn't deserve to be kidnapped! :o

**xMocha**: I love writing the 'friendship circle' hahah I laugh every time they do it, it just cracks me up. I had to stick it in there somewhere. Too tempting. Do you think the chap was too much of a mouthful? I'd love to hear you opinion!

Anywho, let's get rid of the cliffhanger feeling and do this!

* * *

><p><em>The Pharaoh's Rage<em>

Atem jumped to his feet, "Yugi!" he cried, both aloud and in his head. _"Where are you?"_

_Atem! He's trying to get us through the palace gates, hurry!_

Mana and Mahad's eyes snapped open in time to see Atem swing his cape around him and disappear. "Quickly, Mana," Mahad said, "We must help!" And with a flurry of wand and staff, they too vanished.

Atem appeared in front of the gate, marching forward, he shoved through guards and screaming servants alike. In his rage, he was a terrible sight to behold. He practically worked up a windstorm. Trevor gasped as a flash of what seemed suspiciously like lightning struck the ground beside him, making a sound like thunder.

Over the Pharaoh, he saw the Egyptian God Phoenix in its terrible form—but it wasn't really _there, _it was more like a manifestation of the rage of the king and the gods, soon to come to pass. He should have known this was a suicide mission from the start; they had just made him come to get the Pharaoh worked up, a mere distraction while the real plan was put in to action. None of the Guardians or the guards would notice what was going on while he kidnapped the boy.

Not that he was going to get away with it, anyway.

Trevor was debating leaving the boy and making a run for it, when the feeling of his soul being torn knocked him back to his senses. He had to carry it out. The plan was almost completed, he just had to finish his part and he would be saved.

Mahad and Mana propelled their way through the guards. They cowered when lightning flashed around them, the wind picking up and a great shriek tearing through the air. "Egyptian God Phoenix!" cried Mahad, pointing. "The Pharaoh's rage has summoned it!"

He ushered Mana back and they stood gripping a pillar, hands shielding themselves from the wind and bright light.

Atem swept his hand through the air, creating a barrier across the open gate. _"Release him!" _cried the angry voice of the Pharaoh.

Trevor glared at it, trying to restrain the boy. He had one more task to complete before he could go. He ripped off the gold band around the boy's left hand and wrapped his hand around his wrist, burning the mark in to him.

But Trevor cried out in shock and released his wrist. Looking down, he had branded _himself _with the symbol: the _djed _and the _heb _glyph, meant to mark him as different from the Pharaoh.

But it didn't imprint on him, it burned itself on Trevor. It was as if the boy were impervious to his magic.

Looking up, the Pharaoh was suddenly there, standing right in front of him with dark, amethyst eyes. Trevor knew this was a suicide mission.

"You were a fool to try this," the Pharaoh hissed, "I warned you that anyone who dared lay a finger on him would regret it."

Above him, the phantom image of the Egyptian God Phoenix screeched, shimmering in fiery rage. "Now you have forced my hand," the Pharaoh said, and on his arm appeared the gold diadhank. In one of the spaces, an image appeared. He raised his arm, and spoke in a loud, grave tone: "Great beast of the sky, please, hear my cry. Transform thyself from orb of light, and bring me victory in this fight. Envelop the deserts with your glow and cast your rage upon my foe. Unlock your powers from deep within so that together we may win! _Winged Dragon of Ra!"_

Golden light bathed everyone present, and for the second time in the last year, the mighty Winged Dragon of Ra revealed itself. "Winged Dragon of Ra, reveal your true form!" the Pharaoh bellowed, "Egyptian God Phoenix!"

"No!" Trevor said angrily, still somehow maintaining his grip on Yugi. "Not him!"

The Winged Dragon of Ra shed its almost metallic looking feathers, making a round of the sky above as it did so. The metallic feathers became golden fire, rippling as it gave a screech. It turned dark gold eyes on Trevor, in sync with its master's will.

Yugi was pulled by some invisible force and realized that Atem was trying to bring him towards him, but Trevor held on. He reached out towards Atem-Trevor jerked him back, hissing quietly, "Not yet, boy. Not yet."

The Pharaoh's eyes flashed. "Egyptian God Phoenix, now!"

That did it. Trevor ran—straight through Atem's wall, with Yugi.

But Atem wasn't about to let him get away.

Egyptian God Phoenix, screeched, following him, and Atem did something very surprising. He raised his arm and his diadhank shined. Another creature appeared before him. Before anyone could get a good look at it, it was gone, seeming to melt back and merge with the Pharaoh. Now there was only one of them.

The Pharaoh, or perhaps the monster, ran off with Phoenix, after Trevor. Mana and Mahad exchanged glances and transformed in to their Ka's, taking off after the Egyptian God and the creature the Pharaoh had called.

Trevor ran, though he knew he would get no where. Yugi actually punched him, "Let me go! Put me down!" Trevor ignored him, swinging the youth over his shoulder and sprinting.

Suddenly the weight of the boy was gone. Trevor stumbled and cursed, looking at the creature behind him. He squinted, "What kind of trick is this, Pharaoh!"

"No trick," said the Pharaoh, "I'm full of surprises."

Trevor felt something sharp cross his back and grunted, "How!"

"My Guardians aren't the only ones with Ka's," the Pharaoh said mildly, turning Trevor around to look at him. He held him up off the ground, "You disgust me. You're all talk. Whose side are you on?"

Trevor smirked, "The powerful side."

Atem threw him to the ground, "Egyptian God Phoenix, destroy him!"

Phoenix gave a frightful shriek, dive bombing Trevor. Atem ducked to the ground with Yugi, and someone threw up a wall around him, protecting both of them.

The wind died down and the lightning stopped. Slowly, the dust cleared and the sun shown on the spot where Trevor had been. He was gone.

Atem and Yugi sat up, and Atem quickly embraced his young friend. "Yugi, I am so sorry. I…"

"Aw, come on, Atem! Don't go blaming yourself! I'm _fine!_ It was that guy's fault, not yours."

"Pharaoh!"

Atem and Yugi looked up as Mahad and Mana came running. Mana knelt beside them, "Is everyone alright?"

Yugi inspected himself, "Yeah, think so." He blinked at Atem. "Did you…? Just barely…? I mean… what happened?"

Atem grinned. He looked normal now. "I merged with my Ka."

"I've never seen you do that before!" Mana said.

Mahad agreed, "Yes, how did you do that?"

"You do it all the time," he pointed out.

"Yes but…" Mahad faltered.

"And I practiced magic when I was a child, didn't I?"

"Yes, I suppose…" Mahad had nothing. "How did you know that creature was your Ka?"

Atem shrugged, "A hunch?"

"That's some hunch!" Yugi laughed, "You just had a hunch that Black Luster Soldier was your, what was it, Ka? What is a Ka, anyway?"

"A Ka is your spirit monster," Atem said, gripping Yugi's arm and pulling them both to your feet. He set his hands on his shoulders. "Are you alright, Yugi?"

Yugi nodded, "Yeah. He didn't get away with it, right? We're all safe and sound."

Atem sighed. He didn't like this. He didn't like it at all. "Yes."

Too bad Yugi was wrong.

* * *

><p>Upon arriving back at the Palace, they found the gate in wreckage and the entire population in a panic. Atem quickly soothed them, and soon the gate was being put back together with the help of Mana and Mahad.<p>

Meanwhile, Atem closed his eyes and thought to himself.

Yugi knew what Atem was thinking about. He sighed, eyes dulled and down heartened. He looked around, watching the people of the Palace whisper to one another, wondering at the Pharaoh's power and the problems that had persisted in the Afterlife.

Yugi felt bad. He felt bad that Atem had to deal with so much. He had to make so many decisions, and he was always targeted, which put those he was in contact with in danger. He knew exactly how Atem felt: angry, upset, frustrated, responsible, furious that he couldn't do anything.

He wished he could help him-he was practically his closest friend. There was turmoil inside Atem, raging like the ocean.

Yugi set his hand on Atem's shoulder. Atem looked up and smiled tiredly at him; his eyes looked so ancient. For the first time, Yugi really grasped how old Atem was. He saw the weariness in his eyes, the wish for it all to end.

Atem put an arm around Yugi's shoulders and they turned away, walking in companionable silence. "Yugi," Atem began, "I'm so sorry, I really am."

"You have to stop blaming yourself," Yugi told him, ignoring the apology. "This _isn't _your fault. _I'm _sorry you're always the victim—that you have to deal with so much. No one deserves peace or happiness more than you do. You're always having to deal with this, and you shouldn't have to."

The Pharaoh squeezed his shoulder, "Thank you, Yugi. Though it may not be my fault, I'm who they want and it's my responsibility. It's my fault you were…" he sighed, "That never should have happened."

Yugi knew it was no use telling him that it wasn't his fault, but he tried anyway. "It wasn't your fault."

Atem's expression was downcast. "Yugi, I don't know what to do."

"I know," Yugi agreed.

"It seems like there's no where that's safe. Even my own home isn't safe." His brow was drawn in and he wouldn't meet Yugi's eyes. It was finally too much for him.

"Atem, as bad as things may be, you can't give up," Yugi said firmly, as encouraging as ever, "You've got to keep fighting and stand strong. As bad as things seem, we'll all get through this. We always have," Yugi said cheerfully, "You and I went through a lot, and we always made it through."

Atem's shoulders set at Yugi's words, "Yes, you are right, Yugi." He laughed, "I was always the one telling _you _this. It looks like our roles have switched."

Yugi grinned, "I didn't share a mind with you and not learn something about hope." Yugi studied him, "There's something else, though. Something you were thinking about."

Atem nodded, "I was thinking about sending you home."

Yugi had known it was coming, but still, he didn't like. "No," he protested, "I've told you, I'm not leaving."

"You're in danger here," Atem tried.

"I'm in danger anywhere," Yugi countered, "Here I can help. You can train me. Teach me how to defend myself so I _can _be of some help. Besides, I think I would be in even more danger if you sent me home. You wouldn't be around to watch out for me. Admit it, I'm safer here, as much danger as I may be in."

Atem had to admit that he was right. "I still don't like it," he sighed, "It seems I can't protect anyone."

"You'll figure it out," Yugi said confidently. "And with you teaching me, I won't be a hindrance."

"Alright," Atem agreed reluctantly. Yugi stopped and started scratching his wrist, frowning. "Something bothering you?" asked the Pharaoh.

"Yeah," Yugi muttered, "It's been itching ever since that guy grabbed it. By the way, you need to update me on what happened in the dungeon before I came in. I totally missed all of that."

They talked through the mind link, Atem replaying the scene for him while Yugi continued to itch his wrist. Finally, he pulled off the gold band he had replaced. He froze, staring it at in confusion, "Atem, look at this."

He grabbed Yugi's wrist after a second's inspection, "No…" he murmured, "It's… it's an _akhet._"

"What's an—" Yugi attempted to pronounce it, "_Akhet?_"

"It's the Egyptian hieroglyph for the horizon," Atem said, watching as the glyph came into view.

"What does it mean?"

Atem pondered the question before answering, "Well, it represents both sunset and sunrise, a symbol of Horus in the Horizon—the Sphinx is another representation of that. Since it represents both the sunset and the sunrise…" he frowned, and shook his head, "There's something missing."

He removed the gold band over his own wrist, seeing the _djed_ there. "_This _must mean something as well, but what, I can't be sure."

On some instinct, Atem set his wrist next to Yugi's. As they watched, the _djed _faded slightly, to be covered with the same glyph on Yugi's wrist: the _akhet_.

"_Now _what does it mean?" Yugi asked, looking to the Pharaoh for an answer.

Atem pieced it together slowly, "You and I used to be two parts of the same soul." His eyes brightened, "The sunrise and the sunset! Light and dark. You're the sunrise, I'm the sunset: light and dark."

Yugi nodded, "Okay, but what is _that _supposed to mean?"

Atem shrugged, "How am I supposed to know?"

They both turned at the sound of someone shouting: "Pharaoh, Pharaoh! Master Yugi!"

The captain of the guard doubled over in front of them, taking a deep breath. "The cities! Egypt! They're empty!"

* * *

><p><strong>There ya go. That's a longer update than usual. <strong>

**Let me know what you think of it: review!**

**Oh, if you're wondering what an **_**akhet **_**or a **_**djed **_**looks like, or where I got the information, go to this link: http:/ www. egyptartsite. com/ (only without the spaces!)  
><strong>

**Thanks for reading!**

**-Anevay**


	13. Silent Swordsman

**Disclaimer: let's get this out of the way and say straight off that I do not under any circumstances own Yu-Gi-Oh.**

Author's note: thanks/responses!

Reviewing: **xMocha, Nick-Arach, Aqua girl 007, princess atemma, fan person **&** Angel's Riot.**

**xMocha**: Okay, here we go. I totally get your questions, and everything is going to be answered pretty soon! But I can answer one thing: Yes, a Ka is a spirit monster that fights for you, but Mana and Mahad have combined with their Ka's before—it's kind of a combining transformation thing. If that clears it up? Sorry I wasn't very clear :P

**Aqua girl 007**: I've always thought Black Luster Soldier was his Ka—though I was tempted to do Magician of Black Chaos, but hey, too late for that now. Anyway, the story sounds cool ^o^

**Fan person**: Well, Yugi _is _the light half and Atem _is _the dark… just thought I'd throw it in there. Have some fun.

**Princess atemma**: No, Yugi is _not_ gay—I'm sorry if that is the way you perceived it. Yugi and Atem have a very brotherly/father-son relationship. If you read my profile, you'll see that I am also a peachshipper—not a puzzleshipper in any way. Sorry.

**Angel's Riot**: Oh, no, I totally see what you mean. I've gone back and changed it a bit since I've had that pointed out—thanks! I realize I didn't make that very clear. Sorry 'bout that! Atem did merge with his Ka, though.

Anyway, I have since gone back and fixed one tiny detail to the previous chap—so, on to the update.

* * *

><p><em>Silent Swordsman<br>_

"What do you mean it's empty?"

The Pharaoh's tone was one of harsh disbelief. The captain spread his hands helplessly, "There's no activity in the city. It's as if they just vanished."

The Pharaoh stormed back to the gate. Atop the battlements, he inspected the city of Egypt. The captain was right. There wasn't a soul in sight.

"Mahad, Mana! How's that gate coming?"

"Almost complete, Pharaoh!" came Mahad's reply.

Atem waved his arm for everyone's attention, and they all stopped in their tracks. "I want _everyone _in the Palace gathered in the grand audience room immediately! Drop whatever it is you're doing unless you are working on the gate." He climbed down from the battlements as everyone scurried away. "Mahad, Mana!"

"Yes, Pharaoh?"

"I want a wall erected," he whispered, "Right in front of the gate. One no one will see. The gates are weak—they need something to protect them, and us."

"Yes, Pharaoh," they said in unison.

He turned away with Yugi hurrying in his wake. "What are you thinking?" he asked.

Atem didn't reply, instead speaking to Yugi through the mind link. Yugi nodded slowly, "That makes sense."

In the throne room, Atem gave orders to his other Guardians, at which point Mahad and Mana came back in to the room to receive any other orders.

"Is the gate reinforced?"

Mana nodded, "Everything is secure."

"Good," he lowered his voice, "These next orders are for you and you only. You, Yugi and the other Guardians are the only people in the Palace that I trust. Tell no one what you are doing."

Mahad and Mana nodded in agreement.

"If anyone asks, direct them to the grand audience room—leave them in assurance that you are making sure everyone knows to go there." Again they nodded, and he lowered his voice further, placing a wall around them with a simple spell. "Scout the Palace. Use a sweeping spell and the dogs. Do _not _tell _anyone _what you are doing—that includes the captain of the guard and his soldiers, even the other Guardians, Shimon, my father—tell _no one._"

The seriousness of their task weighed down on them. Atem's amethyst eyes bored into them. "If _anyone _find out of your activities, it could jeopardize the entire Palace."

He locked eyes with both of his trusted Magicians. "Make sure everyone in the entire Palace is in the audience room. If you sense they may be dark, don't do anything yet, just let me know, alright?"

They nodded in agreement, "Yes, my King," they bowed, turning away.

"Mana," Atem said, seizing her fingers.

She turned back, her aquamarine eyes searching, "Yes, Atem?"

"Be careful," he said quietly, pressing his lips to her cheek.

"I will," she smiled, squeezing his fingers. Then just like that, she was gone. Atem stared after her, secretly praying for her safety.

Yugi set a hand on Atem's shoulder reassuringly. "She'll be okay, Atem," he nodded, "Trust her."

Atem took a deep breath and smiled at his friend. "Right, she'll be fine."

"What do you want me to do?" asked Yugi.

Atem deliberated. He wanted to keep Yugi safe, but he didn't want him to feel useless. After a moment, he made up his mind. "I have an important task for you, Yugi," he decided, "I need you to get some things upstairs, and then I want you to spy."

Yugi grinned. "You got it."

Atem gave Yugi his instructions and sent him off with a word of caution: "Trust no one. Keep me posted. If you need help, just say so."

"I'll be alright," Yugi said easily, "Don't worry, I'll be back in a flash!" and he ran off in the indicated direction. Finally he got to _do _something.

The Pharaoh nodded to himself. They would be fine.

* * *

><p>Mana and Mahad split up, nodding at one another.<p>

Mana swept the halls with her spells, a dog on either side of her. She wasn't sure what Atem was hoping to find, though she was sure she would find something or other. Atem was usually right about these kinds of things.

She directed each servant to the audience room, sensing their souls for darkness. _So far, so good_, she thought, _wonder how Mahad's doing._

The farther through the palace she got, the fewer people she saw. Soon it seemed like just her and the dogs. Neither had made a sound. Their noses searched the air and the floor, popping in to each room they passed. Nothing came up.

It was on her trip back around that she encountered something surprising.

She saw the captain of the guard, looking around.

Her eyes narrowed. What was he doing here?

Backing up, she sent one of the dogs ahead to warn of her presence before time. There was no need to make him suspicious that she was onto him. The dog gave a quiet bark upon encountering the captain. Mana went around the corner to find the captain looking alarmed. He hastily gave a little bow as she appeared, "Your majesty, I didn't expect to see you here. Might I ask what you're doing?"

Mana raised her eyebrows, "Just making sure everyone gets the message to be in the audience room. But I might as you the same question: what are you doing, captain?"

"Doing the same, my Queen," he replied, "Making sure no one gets left behind."

"You may return to the audience room, captain," Mana said crisply, "I'm sure everyone is there."

He bowed with a side-ways tilt of his head. "Of course. After you?"

"No, after you," Mana smiled icily.

The underlying command was obvious, and so the captain had no choice but to go ahead.

Mana left one dog behind her and one in front, making sure he did indeed make it back to the audience room.

Mahad, in fact, encountered no problems on his way through the palace. _If I have not found anything, Mana must have, _he thought. He was sure the Pharaoh had them do this for a reason.

He met up with Mana on his way back. She was walking a ways behind the captain of the guard suspiciously. Mahad raised his eyebrows questioningly, but Mana just kept right on trailing him.

As they were following him around a bend, the air seemed to bend, lifting and creating sort of a hole to reveal Yugi's violet eyes. He grinned and winked, nodding towards the captain, like: don't worry, I got this guy.

The Magicians nodded, turning back. They trusted Yugi. It was obvious that Atem had suspected the captain. He didn't want him captured, he wanted him spied on. A job he had given Yugi.

They entered the audience room to find Atem addressing the multitude, telling them that not to panic, but an intruder was in the palace. As he finished, he turned to his Magicians, speaking quietly, "Well?"

"The captain of the guard," Mana whispered, "Yugi's on his tail."

"Yes," Atem said nervously, "He's just told me."

"Good idea, giving him the cloak," said Mahad, "With that invisibility spell on it, he should do alright."

"I have him a diadhank as well," Atem said, "He'll know how to use it."

"You suspected it was him, didn't you?" inquired Mana, "The captain?"

The Pharaoh nodded, "It couldn't have been anyone else. It's no wonder our security has been bad," he sighed, "The captain has been letting them in, working for Hamon. That was how he knew about Yugi, and why he suspected he was more than a visitor. He was the one who spied on Yugi. The message with the words 'Millennium Puzzle' tipped him off, not that Yugi would have known that."

"So why is Yugi spying on him?"

"Because, I think he stole my cartouche. Yugi has to get it back."

* * *

><p>Yugi knew how important his task was.<p>

With the cartouche, Atem had said, Hamon could use it to enter in to the World of the Living without a problem. Atem's cartouche was sort of a key between the two worlds—since he had returned, he decided he would need a way between them, just in case, and his cartouche had been charmed to do just that.

It was vital that Yugi retrieve it.

Atem had put his faith in Yugi, and he wasn't about to let him down.

He had always wanted to please the Pharaoh, to gain his approval—Atem's praise was one thing he could always feel pride in, as if to say he had done something right. Something big. Something to help. _This _would definitely help.

_I can do this,_ he thought to himself, _I can do this, right?_

_Of course you can, Yugi, _the Pharaoh's voice came to him, _that's why I asked you to do it._

Yugi nodded, more confident now. The diadhank on his wrist and the cloak hiding him were certainly comforting to him, knowing he was hidden and that he could protect himself now. It there was one thing he knew how to do, it was duel.

He followed the captain around to the guard station. The captain looked around, and satisfied that he hadn't been followed, fired up a radio. "Sir, I got it," he said, "I got the cartouche thing."

"_Good work," _said another voice, disguised over the transmission. _"Where was it?"_

"In the Pharaoh's room, of all places," the captain scoffed, "He had it almost in plain sight. Being the captain of the guard has its perks. I just walked right in and grabbed it."

"_Well done, servant. You haven't been followed?"_

"No, I checked. No one knows I'm here or that I have it."

"Very_ well done, then," _the voice mused, _"Now that we have it, that fool Hamon won't."_

Yugi frowned. The captain wasn't working for Hamon? _He must be working for that 'other power' Trevor was talking about,_ Yugi wondered, _this is all so confusing. Who's working for who, and why?_

"_We'll come retrieve it," _the voice over the radio continued, _"Until then, sit tight. The Pharaoh is too busy to worry about anything but his precious kingdom. Trevor did a good job distracting him."_

"I'll be waiting," the captain replied. He turned off the radio and sat in the chair, pulling out a small, shiny silver object.

_The cartouche,_ Yugi thought, _there it is._

_Be careful, Yugi._

Atem's tone was anxious. He knew that now was a critical moment for Yugi. He would have to play it just right.

He edged back and shrugged the cloak away, holding out the diadhank. "Silent Swordsman," Yugi whispered.

The captain spun around as something tall stepped in to the small guard room. It held a massive broadsword over it's shoulder, looking down at him with almost no expression. The captain trembled, "Wh-who are you?"

Yugi peeked around his tall monster, "Oh, just someone looking for that thing you're holding," he said, folding his arms and smirking a little. "Hand it over and you'll go to the dungeons instead of being sent to the Dark Realm by the Pharaoh."

He hastily tossed it to him, shaking. "I-I didn't know you were so powerful, Master Yugi," he tried.

Yugi's eyes narrowed, "Don't try and flatter me, captain." He looked up at the Silent Swordsman, awaiting his orders. "Silent Swordsman, carry this guy and follow me."

The swordsman scooped up the comparatively small man, following Yugi to the audience room, where everyone was still assembled. They all gasped as Yugi came in followed by a tall creature with a huge broadsword, and carrying the captain of the guard.

Yugi grinned, "Mission accomplished, Pharaoh."

Atem beamed, "Well done, Yugi! I knew you could do it!"

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you liked it ^o^ if there's anything you do or don't like or whatever, review! I take constructive criticism.<strong>

**You know, people always underestimate water.**

**-Anevay**


	14. A thief's expertise

**Disclaimer: I have to say it _again? _Ra! I don't own Yugioh.**

Tsuki: good girl.

Anevay: I'll show you a good girl… before I get into _that,_ I must say that I'm sorry the update hasn't come earlier. I've been out and about all day :P plus I have a cold. Stinkin' cold.

Tsuki: Aw, poor baby.

Anevay: you're so mean to me sometimes.

Thanks/responses:

Reviewers: **Nick-Arach, fan person, Aqua girl 007, Angel's Riot, princess atemma, **&** jak dragon.**

**Fan person**: no, I mean the Dark Realm—that's where I have all the dark souls. It's been mentioned before.

**Angel's Riot**: city of Egypt… right, meant to say 'world,' whoops—thanks.

**Princess atemma**: yes, Yugi does have a Ka—it's the Silent Swordsman, as previously mentioned…

And for favoriting: **Angel's Riot!**

Anywho, here we go…

* * *

><p><em>A thief's expertise<em>

Hamon paced back and forth. It was nearly time to attack. He had all the power he needed, now all he had left to do was open the door.

With one small problem.

For that, he needed the Pharaoh's key. The cartouche.

Unfortunately, all his men in the Palace had been sniffed out. Idiots. It was so hard to find good help in the Dark Realm—now or any day.

From the transmission he had intercepted from the Palace, someone else had already retrieved the key. Curse them!

Who was this other person trying to get the key from him? They had specifically wanted to keep it from him, Hamon. It seemed he wasn't the only one out to get revenge on the Pharaoh. Who could this other person be, and could they be reasoned with? Perhaps he had discovered a possible partnership.

For now, it seemed, he would have to bide his time.

But that would never do—not without due course of action. He could send another man in, gain the Pharaoh's trust-otherwise he was quite sure he would never get anywhere near that key or the Palace. He was sure that by now it had been fortified, all possible allies and dark souls sent from the place.

There was Michael, of course, but his soul had been mostly cleansed of its darkness thanks to _his highness. _

Sigh, there was so little he could do.

There was one man, however, who could gain access to the Palace. It was only a matter of convincing him. There was always the question these thieves asked, 'What's in it for me?'

He had put off this moment for as long as he could. Now, it seemed he was forced upon to call on him or he would never get anywhere. He was an expert at stealing, hiding, and practically everything that had to do with any kind of thievery.

It was just that he detested this _Thief King_, as he called himself. He was a high and mighty kind of man, believing himself to be in command at all times and always wanting something in return, mostly his revenge on the Pharaoh—and _that _was where his victory lay. If there was one thing this Thief King wanted, it was revenge, and plenty of it.

Hamon decided. "You there," he said swiftly, "Fetch me the Thief King."

The servant hastily bowed and scurried away. It was only a matter of time now.

* * *

><p>Nearly an hour later, the servant returned with the Thief King.<p>

He wore a long black robe over a simple deep green kilt, both bound by a belt of fine silver. His scared face smirked and he folded his arms, "Yes, Hamon? I believe you require my _assistance?"_

Hamon scowled, "Yes, Bakura, I require your assistance."

Bakura tilted his head back with a hard smile playing around his lips, "And why should I help you?"

Hamon had known this was coming. He glared at the thief, "Because you're the only one who can get in undetected and unaided. And if you do, you can have your revenge on the Pharaoh of Egypt—him and his father."

The Thief King's eyes gleamed, "Really, now? Well, perhaps we can come to some agreement, then."

"The agreement is this," Hamon stated, folding his arms to mirror Bakura, "If you get me the Pharaoh's cartouche, you'll be appointed your own army of dark souls—those from your village, Kul Elna, and any others you like. And," he paused with a slight smile, "You can have the Pharaoh and his father when I'm done with them."

A malicious smile split his face strangely, and he chuckled, "Now that, I like the sound of. And all you want is the _Pharaoh_'s cartouche?" he laughed, "Not a problem."

"It had better not be," Hamon grumbled, "Otherwise its back to the Dark Realm with you."

"I'll do as I please," Bakura snapped, "Who's to say that as soon as I am free, I won't simply take the Pharaoh for myself and never return?"

"Because I have this," Hamon said, and he displayed his hand, on which glittered a pointed ring, sticking straight up like a knife blade, pure black and eminating darkness.

Bakura eyed it curiously, "A gift from dear Anubis, I see?" He wondered, "One which gives you the power to control dark souls and take those it pierces."

"So you do know what it is," Hamon smiled unkindly, "Then you must know that since your soul is dark, then I can destroy you as well."

"Very well," Bakura scowled, turning away fractionally, "I shall perform your menial task, and then I will return for my army. And my revenge," again his eyes glinted darkly.

"Good, then we are at an agreement."

"I believe we are."

Then the Thief King Bakura swept from the room, his dark robe sweeping silently in his wake.

* * *

><p>Bakura had absolutely no trouble entering the Palace that night. Those guards were a pitiful excuse for a defense, just as they always had been. Such a pity they didn't present more of a challenge.<p>

He chuckled softly, taking his sweet time going through the halls. The Pharaoh's room was sure to be situated in the same area as it had been in life.

Presently, he stood in one of the courtyards, examining the windows. The Pharaoh's would have at least two balconies, perhaps with one of the windows open and one of his Magicians posted, or maybe a duel monster carving…

He shrugged and climbed the wall to check each room. The thief walked silently along the balcony rails, crouching and peeking inside. He jumped to the next, and the next, when he finally came to a double balcony, one of the doors propped open slightly.

He dropped to the ground without a sound and put his back to the door, listening. All he could hear was deep breathing, so he took a peek inside.

He recognized that chaotic head of hair anywhere, and beside him, a wild haired brunette. So he had married that Magician's apprentice after all. He couldn't say he was exactly surprised.

Bakura slipped through the barely open door, his eyes taking in the details of the room. If the Pharaoh was in any way suspicious, as Bakura was sure he was, he would be wearing his precious cartouche around his neck. This could be more difficult than he anticipated.

Should he go for the girl, or the Pharaoh himself? Hm, a difficult choice.

The Pharaoh, or the girl… the Pharaoh would probably be quicker.

With a smirk, he seized the Pharaoh's arm and jerked him from the bed, quickly wrapping an arm around his neck and using the other to cover his mouth. "Now, Pharaoh," he whispered, "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

The Pharaoh, jerked suddenly from sleep, tried to wake himself. That voice couldn't be who he thought it was. He felt something sharp against his throat, and his eyes widened.

"Don't scream, _Pharaoh,_" Bakura hissed, and he pulled the hand away from his mouth, knife in hand and pointed at Mana, "I can throw this knife and harm the girl before you even finish."

"Bakura," Atem snarled under his breath, "What do you want?"

"What I've always wanted," he breathed, "Revenge."

"And how exactly do you plan to achieve that? By cutting my throat?" the King growled.

"Oh, no," the thief murmured, "I want that precious_ key_ around your throat, and _then _I want to cut it, but not yet," he said, "Oh, not yet. Just give me the key and you both stay intact, then you can come chase me to your heart's desire. Maybe I'll get my revenge earlier than I hoped. Or at least a piece of it."

Atem snarled something unintelligible, and Bakura tsked quietly. "Now, now, your highness, we wouldn't want to wake the little Magician and put her in danger, would we now? Just be a good king and hand over the cartouche."

"Take it," Atem said, and added mentally:_ then I'll cut your murderous heart out and feed it to Ammit like it should have been._

The Thief King chuckled and removed the cartouche, tossing the Pharaoh to the ground, "Nice doing business with you, _Pharaoh!"_

He leapt through the door and off the balcony with Atem hot on his tail. "Guards!" he bellowed, "Intruder!"

Alarms blared, and Barkura laughed on his way out.

Mana jumped from the bed, whipping her wand and dressing both her and Atem automatically. The Pharaoh, however, chose to take Bakura's way out, jumping over the balcony with Mana right behind him.

Atem sprinted as hard as he could, growling angrily. _Bakura! How does Bakura fit in to all this? Is he the 'other power' Trevor spoke of?_

Mahad flew over Atem as the Dark Magician, firing at the intruder.

"Mahad, its Bakura!" Atem yelled.

That made Mahad double his efforts, rapid firing at him as they sprinted full-speed through the corridors. They reached the front gate, and Bakura cackled, "Try all you want, Mahad! I didn't spend years in Darkness and not learn a little magic!"

Something dark exploded before Mahad, obscuring the Magician.

"_Mahad!"_

Atem skidded to a stop, covering his eyes before the explosion._ "Bakura!" _the King bellowed, _"Stop this!"_

"Do you really think I'm going to listen to you, Pharaoh?" Bakura sneered, "After all these years, you'd have thought you and I would understand one another!" he shrugged, running up the stairs to the battlements when Atem began to pursue him again.

At the top, Bakura backed away from him slowly, smiling darkly.

"What will it take for you to give up?" Atem growled, "When will all this end?"

"It hasn't even begun, Pharaoh," he said, "I'm doing this to help me grow _nearer _to my revenge. I do this menial task to gain what I need." He climbed atop the wall, "You have one last try to get me, Pharaoh. Give me your worst."

The Pharaoh made one leap to the wall, joining Bakura. He held up his arm, his diadhank appearing, but before he could say anything, the Thief King leapt forward and grabbed his shoulders, pulling them both over the wall.

* * *

><p><strong>I know you hate the cliffhangers—don't say anything! This was three pages, and I'm exhausted, so Anevay out!<strong>

**-Anevay**


	15. Lost key

**Disclaimer: Son of Set… no, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.**

Author's note: You know, I had particular fun writing the last chap. I gotta say that I _love _Bakura—who doesn't? Anywho, thanks/responses:

Reviewers: **Aqua girl 007, Angel's Riot, jak dragon, fan person, **& **AuraWolf4!**

**Angel's Riot**: I didn't originally plan to stick Bakura in, but I couldn't help it! You're totally right—he's _way _good looking. Cartouche, yes, from Tea—it's pronounced car-too-ch. I have one! X) they're pretty great. I know how everyone hates the cliffhangers, but I just had to! ^o^ thanks so much for the continuous honest and great reviews! (hugs)

**Jak dragon**: Aw, thanks! Bakura is so fun to write.

**Fan person**: No, but I will! ^o^

**AuraWolf4**: This one is actually one of my favorites too! Is it weird that I like my own writing? Ha, well thank you very much!

Wow, lots of great reviews—thanks guys! Let's get you guys out of that cliffhanger itch, hm?

* * *

><p><em>A lost key<em>

Atem groaned at the impact his body made on the hard ground. He was quite sure his arm was broken, along with a few ribs, and his shoulder was probably dislocated along with his ankle—he was also sure that he was bleeding due to the warm fluid running down his head, but it could have been worse.

Bakura was no better off. He pushed himself away from the Pharaoh, rolling to his feet painfully and cackling. "Well, at least neither of us are in much shape to duel, hm, Pharaoh?"

The Pharaoh pushed himself to his feet, staggering. "Bakura," he growled through gritted teeth, "Give me back my cartouche."

Bakura just laughed. "You wish, _Pharaoh_, but no, I think I'll keep a hold on this for quite a while. Not only are you trapped in this world, but the Dark souls will be freed," he hissed, his eyes glinting in the dark, the wind rustling his white hair.

Atem launched himself at the thief, pinning him to the ground. He held Bakura's own knife to his throat. "Now," he said pleasantly, "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

The Thief King smirked. "I didn't think you had it in you, Pharaoh," he approved, "Perhaps you have darkness in your soul after all."

"_Never,_" Atem snarled.

Bakura kicked the King away, sending him sprawling. He crawled to his feet, hunched slightly, and produced a diadhank of his own, "Diabound, come to me!"

From the darkness emerged the terrible shadow creature, looming over the form of the Pharaoh, who was on hands and knees. Just as Diabound was about to strike, something crackling and dark collided with the beasts' chest, at least drawing his attention.

"Bakura!" cried a somewhat hoarse voice, and Mahad landed before his King. "We meet again."

"Well, if it isn't Mahad," Bakura said. He was holding his arm and somewhat hunched, but smirking nonetheless, "I do hope this duel doesn't end the way our last did."

"I assure you that it will not," Mahad said, holding out his staff, "I have told you before I will tell you again: when you threaten my King you threaten me!"

"I really don't understand you, Mahad," Bakura said ponderously. "Why is it you protect that fool cowering behind you? Some human concept of loyalty or friendship?" he laughed, "Honestly, aren't you tired of dying for him?"

"_Be silent!" _

It wasn't Mahad who spoke but the Pharaoh, rising to his feet unsteadily. He limped, holding his shoulder carefully, but he stood tall at his Magician's side. "When you threaten my friends, Bakura, you threaten me as well. Now tell me, what is your part in all of this?"

The Thief King scowled at the upright King of Egypt.

"My part? I told you that already, didn't I? I'm doing this job for a man we both know and hate. I believe you know him. Hamon? Has a fancy little ring on his finger that lets him control dark souls?"

"What?" Atem gasped.

"Oh, you didn't know about that?" Bakura asked, a look of mock worry on his face. "Oops," he smirked.

"Ring?" Atem demanded, "What ring?"

"I think that's enough information for one day," Bakura sneered, "Diabound, attack the Magician with Helical Shock Wave! Destroy him once and for all!"

Mahad stood his ground as the great ball of energy zoomed through the air with a hissing, holding his staff before him.

"_No!" _several voices cried at once.

He felt himself pushed to the ground, skidding several feet.

Mahad sat up, no longer in Dark Magician form, to find the Pharaoh facedown beside him, out cold. He had pushed him out of the way.

"_Pharaoh!" _he exclaimed, kneeling beside him. He glanced around to find that Bakura was gone. Vanished, just like everything else in the Afterlife. "Pharaoh," he said urgently, "Oh, Ra, please wake."

Mana came sprinting through the gate as it slowly opened, mass chaos in the Palace. She screamed at Atem sprawled on the ground, skidding to his side. "Atem!" she choked, "Mahad, what happened? I saw him and Bakura on the battlements and then…" she trailed off.

Mahad carefully touched the Pharaoh's shoulder. Sure enough, it was dislocated. "He fell off the battlements," he confirmed quietly, "That's why he's…" _like this_ he finished inwardly. He gently rolled him over, and the Pharaoh winced.

Mana stroked his face softly, "Atem?"

He didn't answer, remaining silent, his chest rising slowly.

He edged his arms under the Pharaoh's shoulders and legs, cautiously lifting him into his long arms. "We must take him to the infirmary."

* * *

><p>Yugi hadn't seen Atem at breakfast, nor had he seen Mana. Everyone was solemnly quiet. Whispers went all around the Palace—something about a thief.<p>

"Mahad, where's the Pharaoh?" Yugi asked Mahad suspiciously.

Mahad stared at Yugi for a moment. Without a word, he turned, beckoning Yugi to follow him. He frowned and followed the Magician.

He followed him to the infirmary. Silently, Mahad pointed in to the room.

Yugi looked in, and the blood drained from his face. "Atem?" he whispered. "What… happened?"

Lying on one of the beds was the Pharaoh, eyes closed and asleep. Beside him was Mana, sitting in a chair at his bedside, her head on the bed and her eyes closed.

"Bakura," Mahad growled angrily, "He snuck in to the Palace last night and took the King's cartouche by force. The Pharaoh pursued him to the battlements, where Bakura took them both over the edge. That is how he ended up like this."

"Bakura?" Yugi said in horror, "Did he get away?"

"Yes," the Magician said softly, "The thief brought forth that creature of his, Diabound, and as I stepped in front of the Pharaoh to protect him, he pushed me out of the way. Bakura disappeared."

"Why is everything disappearing?" Yugi demanded, and for once it seemed he had a temper. "And how does Bakura fit in to all this?" he demanded. He pushed open the door, walking slowly to his friend's side. "Has he woken up at all?"

"Once, early this morning, when I was healing him," Mahad whispered, then added, "He managed to curse Bakura in Egyptian several times before passing out again."

Yugi managed to crack a smile. "What did you… have to fix?"

"Dislocated shoulder and ankle, broken ribs and an arm—cuts and bruises. It could have been worse, honestly. He should heal find now. Everything mended correctly."

Yugi sighed, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Mahad pondered for a moment, and then slowly shook his head. "No, I do not think so."

Yugi sighed, "Alright, well if you find anything for me to do, I'll be here."

* * *

><p>Atem drew a deep breath, and winced at the pain in his ribs. He could tell they were still tender.<p>

Mana immediately jerked awake, "Atem?" She watched his face carefully, touching his arm. His eyelids tightened and he blinked them open.

"Mana," he smiled.

She breathed out in relief. "Atem, you're awake."

"Of course I am," he said, taking her hand and playing with her fingers.

Yugi walked into the room then, and beamed: "Atem! How are you feeling?" he moved to his friend's side and sat on the stray chair.

Atem shifted. With one shoulder in bandages and the opposite arm in the same condition, there wasn't much he could do. "I'm not sure how to answer that," he admitted, and in shame, "Bakura got away."

"We'll get him," said Mana, the anger clear in her eyes.

"What's his part in all this?" Yugi asked.

"I was wondering the same thing," the Pharaoh admitted, "All he told me was that he was doing it for Hamon, so he could get his revenge on me. He said Hamon had a ring that lets him control Dark souls." He closed his eyes angrily and pounded his fist on the bed, "Now that Hamon has my cartouche, he'll be able to open the Dark Realm and release the dark souls!" he growled angrily, "Curse Bakura!"

They sat in silence to Atem's rant. None of them knew what to say. All they could do was wait and see what happened.

* * *

><p><strong>Well there ya go. More to come tomorrow. <strong>

**Review ^o^ **

**-Anevay**


	16. The Darkening of the Afterlife

**Disclaimer: I'm not even going to bother. It says disclaimer, doesn't it? Duty done.  
><strong>

Author's note: man, I've got to write a letter/story/present for my dad's birthday, a report for my art class, and update this… I must be big on writing, huh?

Tsuki: Well you _are _a writer.

Anevay: This is true. _Any_who, here we are with the update.

Thanks/responses/anything else and blah, blah, blah:

Reviewers: **fan person, jak dragon, Angel's Riot, **& **xMocha!**

**Fan person**: haha did Yugi just say that I'm good? I love Yugi. 3 Shame on you for being late, Atem ;) (I know that this doesn't make sense to anyone else. It's from the review hah!)

**Angel's Riot**: Seriously though, on both Atem and Bakura—first off, poor Atem :'( second, Bakura _is _super smexy. Am I good at making them vicious and evil? XD that's great! Thanks much! Third, Yugi's gotta be strong! He's a tough guy. He's gotta handle things well—I don't see him as week. Fourth, haha I rather liked having Atem curse Bakura in Egyptian, even if I didn't have it there outright—mentioning it was fun! Fifth, I'm glad I could fit him 'beautifully' in to the picture, which was a great compliment! Sixth: thank you for your review! XD can I hug you again? (Hugs anyway)

**xMocha**: review when you can! I'm glad you're enjoying it.

For favoriting this story: **Zer00mega**. For favoriting me: **Frozen Amethyst Rose**. For story alerting/subscribing: **Kyamato666**.

That it? …yep. That's it. Huzzah!

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><p><em>The Darkening of the Afterlife<em>

Bakura strode cockily into the wide stone room where Hamon was situated at a table. He rose at Bakura's entrance, "Well?"

The thief smirked. He looked bruised and cut, but otherwise fine, despite the few severed bones, tendons and broken ribs. "Easy," he said simply, holding up the glittering cartouche and swinging it slowly from side to side.

Hamon's eyes glittered, feasting on the glittering object. "Not so easy," he countered, eyeing his bloodstained countenance. "You've blood on you."

Bakura smirked, "The Pharaoh's blood, and a bit of mine, admittedly. I had to take us both over a wall. I admit that he is strong, though still a fool."

Hamon held out his hand, "Then very well done, Thief King. I congratulate you on your victory. You have my word that you will have your army and your revenge."

The Thief King wagged a finger, "Ah-ah-ah, Hamon, not so fast. I want a written agreement or this stays with me."

The other man scowled. "Fine," he said silkily, snapping his fingers. A servant hastily came to his aid with paper and pen in hand. He bent over the table and scrawled the original agreement in his neat hand while Bakura swung the key around his finger and wound it back out, over and over again.

The thief moved to stand beside Hamon, continuing to swing the silver key. When Hamon handed it to him, Bakura's eyes went over it quickly and he nodded. "My revenge, my army, my freedom—this all seems in order," he sneered, and gestured for Hamon to sign first. He did so reluctantly, and the Thief King signed after him in a messy, dark hand when compared to Hamon's.

"You're a clever thief," Hamon said.

Bakura gave a mock bow before rolling up the contract and slipping it inside his robe. He tossed the cartouche in to the air, and Hamon reached up to catch it by the chain so that it swung slowly.

"Pleasure doing business with you, your highness," Bakura said darkly. "I shall await my army. If you don't honor our agreement…" he sneered. "Let's just assume that you will. And if you don't," the thief shrugged, "So be your fate."

On his way out, he laughed, his deep, dark cackle echoing along the stone.

Hamon watched the thief leave before turning a greedy gaze on the cartouche swinging in his hand, engraved with the Pharaoh's name.

"You'll get yours, Thief King," he whispered calmly, "As long as I get mine."

* * *

><p>Hamon sent his current army to attack the Palace. It was the only thing to keep the Pharaoh and his Court busy while he opened the door to the Dark World—the Underworld, essentially.<p>

He sent the army two days ahead of his journey, knowing that it was far earlier than the Pharaoh would expect. He imagined the surprise on the Pharaoh's face and had to chuckle to himself, pleased with the image.

The army marched out to the Palace, and two days later, Hamon was escorted to the gate to Darkness by six of his best men.

Finally, he would accomplish his goal. He would command armies upon armies! Far more than the Pharaoh could ever handle.

The journey required complete stealth. It was in the immediate vincity of the Pharaoh's Palace, so they had to be careful not to be seen. If their true plan was confirmed by the Pharaoh and his Guardians spotting them, they could very well send small parties to apprehend them and their own small party.

As Hamon and his men went through the deserted streets of Egypt, they heard shouting and screaming from the overhead Palace. Hamon smiled to see that his army had invaded the Palace. There were holes in the walls, men on the battlements, the gates in ruin.

He smirked. "Farewell, Pharaoh."

* * *

><p>The attack didn't exactly come as a surprise.<p>

Atem had all the women and children evacuated to the dungeons, which were then sealed. They had been hoping to have a few more days to wait for Dartz, Ironheart, Alexander, Tastan and their armies to arrive—as far as Atem knew, those were his only true loyal kings left. He wasn't willing to contact others for fear that they would betray him.

The army had been banging at the mighty gate for the better part of the last two and a half days. Somehow they held.

Now, Atem tried, again, to get Yugi to go to the dungeons, but the boy refused. Atem had known he would, but he still tried.

"Yugi, you've had barely any training."

"I have my diadhank," he said stubbornly, "And besides, Atem, you're one to talk. You're not even fully healed."

"Nonsense," Atem said, just as stubborn, "I'm fine." As he said it, he jerked his previously broken arm across his body and winced. Yugi breathed out and set a hand carefully on his shoulder, the concern obvious in his violet eyes. Atem shook it off, "I'm just a bit sore."

"You can't lie to me, Atem," Yugi said, "You're in no better shape to battle than I am."

Atem sighed, "I can't just abandon my people, Yugi." But then amended: "What's left of them, anyway."

Yugi cracked a smile, "You and I will stick together. I've got your back, and you've got mine. If we do that, we stand a better chance."

The Pharaoh nodded agreement. He would prefer to keep Yugi under closer scrutiny anyway. "Remember, Yugi," he cautioned, "I can take more than you can."

"I know," Yugi said heavily.

Presently, they rushed to the front courtyard, where the gate was rumbling as the enemy attempted to knock it down. Canons and archers topped the battlements, trying to hold them off. Catapults in the courtyard launched every manner of cargo over the wall. "How are we holding, Mahad?"

"Not well," Mahad said gravely, "I fear we may fall today, my King."

"Then we shall fall fighting," Atem said, just as grave.

Mana slipped her hand into Atem as she came up behind him. He looked around and clasped her hand in return, looking her over. She now wore a suit of armor similar to that of the Dark Magician Girl, other than the fact that it was red and gold—and longer.

Atem wore pure gold armor all along his body. His feet were in armored boots, his legs and arms in gold banded armor, an armored kilt and top, and his neck in a fortified gold choker. The only things he wore that weren't gold were a white kilt and his dark blue cape.

Mahad was dressed in full body gold and dull purple armor, a dark headdress in place. He stood tall at his Pharaoh's side.

Yugi, for his part, was dressed similarly to Atem, except that he wore a black tunic and a black headdress to hide his hair. This time, he had discarded the cape.

The other Guardians, Aknamkanon, Aknadin and Shimon came up behind them, watching the gate crumple before them despite their soldier's efforts.

The gates began to fail further. Yugi remembered his thoughts when he had first arrived here—that no one could surpass the gates. Now the unsurpassable gates were falling before his very eyes.

The Pharaoh held his diadhank before his determined amethyst eyes, and the Guardians copied his movements with solemn yet unwavering gazes. They knew there was a possibility that the Palace would fall. In all likelihood, it would, but that didn't mean they would give up.

Atem made the call to his soldiers moments before the gates fell.

"Soldiers, _retreat!"_

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the cave to the Dark Realm, Hamon laughed.<p>

"Finally!" he exclaimed, leaping from his horse, "The Dark souls will be freed." He walked slowly to the gates, where he stood for a moment, just taking them in.

They were enormous. Just shy of the height of an Egyptian God, they were black, carved with hieroglyphs. Hamon swallowed and raised the Pharaoh's cartouche. He knew the theory. Place the key in the lock and it would burst open to release the souls. They had already committed themselves to Hamon, and so they would become his armies.

Agonizingly slow, he inserted the key into the smaller of the two slots and stepped away.

For a moment, nothing happened, and then, abruptly, they flew open so that Hamon had to back away, squinting in to the darkness before him. A terrible stench accompanied the blackness. It was as if every awful smell in the world were let free at once.

If this was the smell of victory, then the Palace was in for a surprise indeed.

Souls, millions of them, marched through the gate to meet Hamon, holding every manner of weapons and sneering at one another in pleasure.

Hamon held up his fist and cried: "Dark souls! Today, we seek our revenge!"

A cheering, or rather, snarling and growling, arose through the ranks. Hamon smiled at his endless, undefeatable army.

It was the end of the Chosen King of Egypt.

* * *

><p>The small army fought Hamon's army like demons, swinging this way and that with the help of the shadow creatures they called.<p>

Mahad was the only one combined with his creature, seeing as that was the only way he could really do it. Mana and the Dark Magician Girl worked together to fend off enemies, along with Atem and Black Luster Soldier, and Yugi and the Silent Swordsman. It helped to have two skilled swordsman on your side.

The Black Luster Soldier hacked at a man with a growl. Anyone who attacked his master was a threat. They went down.

The Silent Swordsman's enormous broadsword swung heavily through the ranks, dismantling them left and right. He never said a word, but he did smile occasionally.

Atem panted, dodging and parrying. He was saving his energy. He _could _summon the Egyptian Gods, but he barely had enough energy to summon Black Luster Soldier and keep fighting. His previous battle with Bakura had done more of a toll on him that he had thought. With his body not in proper fighting condition, his energy levels stayed right down near the bottom.

Eventually, he would have to call the Gods. For now, he waited for the right moment.

A sudden chill of pure darkness swept over the area, and everyone froze. The clanking of metal and the screams stopped.

The blood drained from the Pharaoh's face. He knew: the gate was open. Now he had one chance. Now was the moment.

Atem was the one to break the silence, the only light in the sudden darkness that overtook the Afterlife. Black Luster Soldier disappeared, and the King closed his eyes, quietly praying to the Gods. He held his diadhank high.

Slifer the Sky Dragon, the massive red beast, shimmered into existence above the Palace with a roar, breaking the pure silence. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and the second space on the diadhank winked. Beside Slifer appeared a second God. Obelisk, in all his terrible glory, growled as he sidled up beside Slifer.

Atem spoke Ra's chant in Egyptian under his breath. A light brighter than the sun made everyone turn away, and there was a raking screech. Above the other two Gods appeared the remaining god in his awesome brilliance: the Winged Dragon of Ra.

"_Egyptian Gods: Slifer, Obelisk, and Ra," _Atem bellowed. His eyes closed as the energy inside him sunk beyond the point of no return, _"Aid Egypt in its hour of need!"_

The three Egyptian Gods roared incredibly. As one, they began to attack. Ra took to the sky, Obelisk began smashing the groundlings, and Slifer flew over the gate to attack from the rear and destroy any newcomers.

Exhausted, Atem collapsed.

As one, everyone's gazes turned to him.

Mana took one step towards him, Mahad barely a second behind, but Yugi waved them off. "Keep fighting!" he yelled, "I've got him!"

He ran to his friend's side and pulled an arm around his shoulders, hauling the King off the ground. Steadying Atem, he backed up, but one of Atem's feet stomped firmly on the ground. "Yugi," he managed, "We have… one chance. Closing the gate."

Yugi realized what he meant. "We don't have a choice, do we?"

Atem shook his head. "No. We must. For Egypt. For…" he trailed off weakly.

"For everyone," Yugi finished. "Don't worry, Atem. I've got your back."

Atem felt himself filling with strength and glanced to Yugi with wide eyes. "Yugi, you're…"

"Sharing my energy with you," Yugi smiled, "It worked before. I thought it would work now. Now let's go."

Atem still leaned heavily on Yugi's shoulders, but was able to walk now and at least _see. _Atem brought his fingers to his lips and whistled, "Slifer!"

* * *

><p><strong>Don't hate meeee! It's already long enough and it's almost two a.m. here! I gotta go to sleep or I would continue! I have school! AGH! I know, none of my complaintsarguing points will satisfy you.**

**Review! I'm sorry if this wasn't the greatest chapter :P I'll fix it tomorrow!**

**Anevay out!**

**-Anevay**


	17. Confrontation

**Disclaimer: Do I own Yu-Gi-Oh… hm… let's think about that and the word before this and answer that on our own, shall we?**

Author's note: Sorry, guys! Went to my friends house yesterday, couldn't get internet, felt bad, wasn't anything I could do—you know. So since I missed, you get two updates today. Huzzah!

Tsuki: Such a good little writer, Anevay.

Anevay: So here we go—thanks/responses:

Reviewers: **me, Aqua girl 007, Chaos Infinity-X, fan person, jak dragon, princess atemma.**

And thanks to **The Trio of Twilight(x4!)**. You favorited all three of my stories and me! Thanks! ^O^

**Me**: haha thanks ^-^

**Chaos Infinity-X**: Oh, good idea—and thanks!

**fan person**: hehe, oh Atem, you know I love you either way and so does Mana. ^o^

**jak dragon **and** princess atemma**: thanks much! X) Your reviews mean a lot!

And now, here we go - Hooplah!

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><p><em>Confrontation<em>

Atem stared down in horror at the mass numbers pouring through the city, lighting it on fire, stealing, fighting, laughing. The numbers seemed endless.

Come to think of it, they probably almost were.

The Pharaoh directed Slifer to the cave, making the dark souls cower and scatter beneath him. They cried out in fear and some in rage, their shadow creatures appearing to attack. The monsters were more of a nuisance to Slifer than harmful.

To Atem, it was as if each hit was a stab in the gut. He grunted and suppressed the pain. "Slifer," he grunted, "Use your thunder force attack! Get rid of these pests."

Slifer directed his blast at the annoying monsters below him, scattering and destroying them. He continued on and ducked his head in the cave, giving a huge roar from both his mouths. Someone laughed in reply.

"Hello, Slifer, hello, Pharaoh," Hamon greeted triumphantly.

Atem gestured for Yugi to stay and brought himself erect, standing at the top of Slifer's head. "I won't let you get away with this, Hamon," he snarled, "This is wrong."

"No, Pharaoh, _you're _wrong. And now that you're here, I'll get my chance to destroy you!" he cried, "Dark Soul Dragon, come to me!"

The dark dragon's massive head appeared through the gateway, growling in Slifer's direction. It was even bigger and more powerful than before.

"I see you've noticed he's changed," Hamon said, "The more dark souls, the more powerful he gets, and in the Dark Realm his power is _endless._ Slifer can't possibly win."

"We'll just see about that," Atem snarled, _"Slifer, thunder force!"_

Slifer fired his great sphere of crackling energy, and Dark Soul countered with a pure black ball of his own, counting Slifer's easily. The Pharaoh shielded his face angrily. He had a bad feeling about this.

Yugi scrambled forward on Slifer's back to reach Atem's vantage point. Carefully, he peeked around Slifer's, looking for the cartouche. It had to be around here somewhere, and if he could get his hands on it, they might have some sort of advantage. At least Hamon wouldn't have it.

There! It was still in the key hole, its chain swinging back and forth.

Yugi judged his obstacles carefully. There was the continuous flow of dark souls through the gateway, Dark Soul's head peeking through, and Hamon standing not far from the key. His odds weren't looking high.

_Atem!_

The Pharaoh's thoughts turned to Yugi quickly. _What is it, Yugi?_

_I see your cartouche! If I can get it, you can close the doors. I have a plan._

Atem listened to Yugi's plan and judged it to be a good one. _Alright, Yugi, but be careful._

_You too._

With that, Yugi crawled backwards along Slifer's back, edging out of Hamon's point of view so he could slip off the red dragon. Some ways back, he found a good place to hop off and made a leap, landing solidly on the stone platform just outside the cave. From there he climbed down, his feet planting on solid ground.

"Silent Swordsman, appear," Yugi commanded, and his diadhank lit up. The Silent Swordsman appeared at his side and they shared a nod.

The Pharaoh commanded Slifer to attack again. He knew what he had to do.

"Aren't you getting tired of uselessly attacking, Pharaoh?" asked Hamon lazily, "Don't you think this is getting boring?"

"Boring? Hardly. We're just getting started," Atem smiled.

Without warning, the Pharaoh leapt off of Slifer and landed on Hamon, pushing him to the ground. The fallen traitor cried out in surprise as he crashed to the stone floor, angered.

_Yugi, hurry!_ Atem thought.

Yugi ran with the Silent Swordsman beside him, yanking the cartouche from the key hole and slipping it around his neck. _Got it! _he thought back, _Come on! _He grabbed Atem's arm, pulling him away from Hamon. Atem stumbled as the God took a hit from Dark Soul.

Atem and Yugi both knew that they couldn't defeat the Dark Soul Dragon or Hamon. Not yet. They had to devise a better plan—Dark Soul was too powerful, and there was no way they were going to defeat the dragon, despite the three Egyptian Gods.

Despite being weak, Atem summonded his Ka: Black Luster Soldier. He and Yugi ran on either side of the great doors with their Ka's as Hamon scrambled to his feet, "Coward!"

"Slifer, _now!" _Atem commanded, _"Rapid fire lighting strike!" _

Slifer's second mouth began to fire rapidly at Dark Soul, who retreated to where they couldn't see him. Black Luster Soldier and the Pharaoh at one door and Yugi and the Silent Swordsman on the other, they heaved at the black gates with all their might.

The traffic from the door suddenly became sparse, with a few stragglers hurriedly trying to get through. Dark Soul stuck his head through the closing doors in an attempt to push them open. "Slifer, attack!" the Pharaoh cried.

Slifer fired rapidly from his second mouth on command, forcing Dark Soul back in to the Dark Realm. The doors were nearly closed as the pushers exerted themselves as much as they could, and as they touched, Slifer finished the job by heaving against it with his huge foreface.

"_NO!" _Hamon shrieked, _"What have you done, Pharaoh!"_

The Black Luster Soldier swung his master into his arms and leapt upon the sky dragon. Silent Swordsman followed suit, and Slifer took off out of the cave with Hamon's rage-filled yell reverberating behind them.

"After him!" bellowed Hamon from behind, pounding his fists angrily on the door. He growled, "Not my dragon! _Get the Pharaoh!" _he screamed, "Kill him! Destroy him! Do anything to get the cartouche! I don't care you bring him to me in one piece or in a million, _bring me that key!"_

Yugi supported Atem as Slifer flew back to the palace, "You okay?"

Atem blinked, as if dazed. "I'll be fine," he murmured, "You have it?"

Yugi dangled the cartouche between his fingers, "I've got it." He tucked the key into his tunic where no one could see.

"Good plan, Yugi," Atem complimented, "Well done."

Yugi grinned with pride, "Thanks. Hang in there, okay?" The Pharaoh nodded.

From above, they could tell that things weren't going well in the Palace. The dark souls had invaded the entire Palace. The Guardians weren't faring well, but they had to help. Obelisk was still going at it, barely taking any harm and he smashed the groundlings this way and that. The Winged Dragon of Ra, above, shrieked and ducked and attacked, taking absolutely no hits himself.

"Let's land there," Atem pointed, where Mana and Mahad were surrounded. Slifer swooped down, and the Black Luster Soldier and Silent Swordsmen went to work on Mana and Mahad's attackers.

"_Pharaoh!" _they both cried in delight.

"You're alright!" Mana exclaimed, relieved, "What happened?"

"We closed the gate," Atem explained, "Trapping Hamon's Dark Soul Dragon and stealing back my cartouche in the process."

"Excellent!" Mahad beamed, "It is the best news I have heard all day!"

"Where are the others?" Atem asked worriedly.

"Last I saw, Seto and Kisara were managing fairly well with Blue Eyes," Mahad reported, "Shimon managed to summon Exodia, and your father several different creatures. I do not know what has become of Isis, Shada and Karim," he looked frustrated at that.

"We've got to find them," said Atem, "We have to retreat."

"Retreat? Retreat where?" Mana asked quickly.

"The dungeons," Atem said, "There we can formulate a plan."

Mahad nodded, "It is a good idea. I will go find Isis and the others." The Magician flew off.

"What now?" Yugi wondered.

"We find the others," Atem said, "We help. The dungeons may have been opened. If they have, I want to guard them and seal them when we get down there. We have to get everyone in the palace into the dungeons. We have plenty of provision to survive."

Mana nodded, "I'll go find the others. Mahad can't find them all."

"Be careful!" Atem called after her automatically.

Mana looked back, grinning. She blew him a kiss, "I will, I promise."

Atem nodded and slid off Slifer. Yugi landed beside him, "Let's go." Slifer flew up and over the Palace, out of sight. "Where's he going?" Yugi wondered.

"To help," Atem said simply, and ran off with Yugi and the two Ka's close behind.

They reached the dungeons to find them open. Atem frowned, "I have no way of knowing who's been hurt and who's still down there. Black Luster Soldier," he said, turning, "Scout the dungeons. If you find any dark souls, destroy them, then report back."

Black Luster Soldier took off without a word, running down the stairs in a blur.

Yugi looked at Atem's diadhank, "Hey, how can you summon four monsters with only three spaces?"

"Easy. Black Luster Soldier is my Ka and the Gods are the Gods—it also helps to be the Pharaoh."

"_Right,_" Yugi said, rolling his eyes.

Silent Swordsman held off anyone who tried to engage them. All around them there was the clashing of swords and the snarl of monsters, along with screams and shouting. Minutes passed, and there was the clashing of swords below.

Atem looked back with a frown, "I have confidence that Black Luster Soldier will chase all dark souls out, but I don't know how long that will take. I'm going to round up any survivors in the Palace so that they will be safe. Can you hold your own here?"

Yugi nodded, "Yeah, I'll be fine, Atem. But you're going to need someone to help you." He held up his diadhank, "Silent Magician, come forth!" The Silent Magician, decked out in red and black and standing just as tall as the Silent Swordsman.

"Keep your magician, Yugi," Atem said, and brought up his own diadhank. Two more wings sprung from the three already there. The three original wings each held an image of an Egyptian God, while another showed the Black Luster Soldier.

On the final wing, an image appeared. "Summoned Skull," he said, and the frightening creature faded in to view. The Summoned Skull gave a low growl, looking to the King for direction. Atem nodded and turned back to Yugi, "I should be fine."

"Alright," Yugi agreed, and waved as Atem jogged away with Summoned Skull.

"Well, well, look at that—we've got a little twirp guarding the dungeons with a couple of big bad monsters. Think we can take 'em, fellas?"

Yugi whipped around. There was a group of ten men approaching him, obviously heading for the dungeons. The men in the group laughed, thinking they could take him. If there was one thing Yugi hated, it was bullies and thugs. It was time to teach these guys a lesson.

He took a deep breath and looked around at his magician and swordsman, who stood silent behind him, faces impassive. "Let's have another friend join the party," he muttered, and looked down at the gold diadhank. He hoped he could summon him. Closing his eyes, he focused on the creature. _"Gandora, the dragon of destruction, I summon you!"_

There was a rumbling. The men looked around in confusion. "Gandora?" said one. "He's bluffing."

Behind the men, in the center of the courtyard, Gandora the dragon of destruction landed, disrupting several trees and plants in the process. With a long, groaning screech, the dragon turned its head to the puny men disturbing his master.

Yugi smiled to himself in satisfaction, "No, I don't think you can take me, but I think _I_ can take _you_."

* * *

><p>Atem gathered the survivors fighting for their lives throughout the palace and sent them in Yugi's direction. If they were too panicked to know where that was, he simply told them: "Just follow the groaning screech." It was the simplest way to put it. He knew Yugi had summoned Gandora, and for that he was grateful. Yugi would be fine.<p>

On his way, he bumped into Shimon and Exodia. Literally.

He suddenly smacked into something large and hard. Rubbing his nose, he gazed upward to find Exodia throwing two men off in to the distance. The horrifying creature looked down at the little impact into his leg and studied his next possible target.

"Uh," the Pharaoh said. He hoped Exodia recognized him enough not to pummel him.

"Exodia, get back to work!" bellowed a voice.

Atem turned at the voice and beamed, "Shimon! You're alright!"

"Of course I'm alright," Shimon blustered, and looked back up at Exodia. "Oi! What did I just say, you great blithering monster? Back to work!"

Instead of trampling Shimon like he would have anyone else, Exodia got back to work like he was told. Shimon nodded in satisfaction and looked his king and grandson up and down. "So, what have you been up to, Pharaoh?"

"Yugi and I managed to close the gate to the Dark Realm, trap the Dark Soul Dragon, and get my cartouche back."

"Excellent. Where's the cartouche?"

"Yugi has it."

"Good, Hamon would suspect it was on you," the vizier approved, "Have you seen Mahad?"

"Yes, he's looking for Isis, Shada and Karim. Have you seen any of them? Or Mana? Or my parents?"

"I separated from you father about ten minutes ago," Shimon said, "He and Amisi were going to find you."

Atem shook his head, "We've got to get everyone to the dungeons. We can make a plan there."

Shimon nodded, "I'll make my way there now. Exodia! Come on! We've got more souls to trample this way!" he gave a big gesture with his arm for Exodia to follow, "What about you, Pharaoh?"

"I'm going to find the others," Atem said.

Shimon nodded, "I suspected as much. At least you've got him with you," he added, jerking his head at Summoned Skull.

The Pharaoh nodded, "I'll be alright."

With a nod, the two parted ways, with Exodia trampling a path of his own through the walls. Atem sighed. There was going to have to be a lot of renovations done after this mess.

* * *

><p><strong>Gah, I keep writing longer chapters so I had to stop here—don't worry, another one in a few minutes. Drink some hot chocolate and <em>relax<em>… it's all going to be okay. ^O^**

**Anywho, review!**

**-Anevay**


	18. Explosion

**Disclaimer: that's two in a row today… no, don't own Yugioh, in case anyone was confused… though if you were then _I _would be rather confused…**

Author's note: Screw the author's note—onward!

* * *

><p><em>Explosion<em>

Yugi looked back. He could hear the Black Luster Soldier growling and knew that there was quite possibly more than he could handle. For a moment, he debated.

"Silent Swordsman," he finally said, "Go help Black Luster Soldier." The swordsman quickly obeyed, running down the dungeon steps to join the fight.

Gandora looked bored, and so did the Silent Magician. Hardly anyone was hanging around the dungeons because Gandora was there, but Atem had warned him to keep Gandora there. It was his groaning roar that the people followed to find the dungeons. So occasionally, he would have Gandora make his loud roar to attract the survivors.

He sighed. This was a more boring job than he had originally thought.

Yugi turned his ear towards a sound. A rumbling. Big footsteps? No, _huge _footsteps.

Boring a hole in the Palace wall, Exodia appeared and stood ready. Not long after, Shimon came up to Yugi. "Hello, Yugi."

"Did you summon Exodia?" asked Yugi.

Shimon nodded, "I was the one to imprison him." He looked up at the monster now, "Exodia! Go trample some dark souls or something." Exodia rumbled off, making another pathway through _another _Palace wall.

Yugi pursed his lips at the display and nodded slowly, "Where are the others?"

"As far as I know, the Pharaoh and Mahad are looking for them."

"Mana is too," Yugi said, "I hope they're okay."

After minutes of absolutely nothing, the wall exploded—again. Only this time, it was Bakura, on Diabound. "Ah, there you are," he said, looking up at Gandora, "I need your ability, dragon of destruction. It could come in handy. Quite soon, actually."

"Bakura!" Yugi snarled, striding forward.

Bakura squinted at him. "No, it can't be—little Yugi!" he laughed, "That fool drags you in to all sorts of danger, doesn't he? Don't you want to get a little revenge on him? Even just a little bit?"

"Never," Yugi said.

"Loyalty," Bakura scoffed, "I'll never understand it. Diabound, helical shock wave!"

* * *

><p>Atem doubled over in pain, groaning.<p>

His other four monsters were taking hits, and so he felt the pain. Obelisk and Black Luster Soldier, mainly—the Winged Dragon of Ra and Slifer seemed to be doing just fine, and Atem drew strength on them.

He hadn't seen any of the others thus far. But then, it was a big Palace.

Another wave of pain hit him and he fell to one knee, breathing deeply and heavily to force himself to relax. That was one of the disadvantages to summoning so many monsters—they could all get hit and still hurt him. Not only that, but he split his energy just to summon them. If one of them went down, part of him did too.

The Summoned Skull growled, as if concerned. He stood crouched over the Pharaoh protectively, constantly looking around for anyone who might want to harm him. It was too bad that even when he himself wasn't being attacked, he was still being attacked.

"Pharaoh!"

Mahad rushed to his side, concerned. "You are not well," he said forcefully, "We must hurry."

"I'll be fine, Mahad," countered Atem, swallowing carefully as the pain momentarily passed. With Mahad's aid, he got back to his feet. "Where are the others?"

"Mana is on her way to the dungeons with your parents," Mahad informed him, "I have not yet been able to locate Isis, Shada or Karim. Nor Aknadin, Seto or Kisara." He sounded distressed, particularly about Isis.

"We'll find them," Atem assured him, "Come on."

Mahad, flying above, because aware of a presence beside him. He whipped his head to the side to see Spiria, Isis's Ka, beside him. He gasped, "Isis! My King, look! It's Spiria!"

Atem looked up, "Mahad, go to Isis! I'll be fine!"

"But, my Pharaoh—"

"That's an order, Mahad!"

Somewhat reluctantly, Mahad followed Spiria, leaving his king behind. Several minutes later, explosion could be heard from the front gate courtyard. Realizing he was close, the Pharaoh sprinted to the front gate, skidding to a stop.

"Diabound," he gasped in horror.

Astride Diabound was none other than Bakura. And of course, he had to be laughing.

Before the Thief King were Seto, Kisara, and the Blue Eyes White Dragon. "No," Atem muttered. He knew how this would end. Diabound was almost endlessly more powerful. "Seto, don't!"

"Well, look who it is!" Bakura exclaimed. How Atem hated his voice. "The _Pharaoh _has come to see the show! I do hope it's entertaining enough for you, _your highness."_

"Seto, don't do this!" Atem bellowed, ignoring the thief. "Back down!"

Seto foolishly ignored him. "I will not let you through, Bakura!" he cried, "Today will be your creature's end."

Mahad, Isis, Shada and Karim came skidding into the courtyard behind Atem. Turning, he felt relieved to see them. His Guardians were safe.

Most of them.

"Seto!" Mahad called, echoing the Pharaoh's cry of: "Back down!"

"He won't," Atem muttered, "His pride won't allow him to."

"I know," Mahad growled in frustration, "He will never listen. He never has."

"You cannot take him, Seto!" Isis yelled from beside Mahad. She looked a bit bruised and scraped up, but otherwise fine. It was the same with Shada and Karim. "I have seen it!"

"You have?" Mahad and Atem queried in shock.

Isis didn't answer. "Seto!"

Karim and Shada echoed her call. Kisara was tugging at him.

"Well, Seto, are you going to do as you _King _and little friends command you? Or are you going to attack me? Just _try_, Priest Seto. You will fail."

Seto ground his teeth in frustration. Atem stepped forward, inwardly exerting his will. If he was going to save his cousin, he would have to goad Bakura into an attack. "What I find interesting, Bakura," he said in a loud conversational tone, "Is your absurd confidence. You seem certain that Diabound can destroy Blue Eyes."

"He has done it before," Bakura scowled. "Who's to say he can't do it again?"

"Because Blue Eyes has something you don't," the Pharaoh sneered, "And so if _you_ attack, _you _will fail."

Bakura laughed, "Such a strange lie to tell, Pharaoh."

"Well then, if you're so confident, fire away," Atem said easily.

The Guardians gaped at him from behind. What was he thinking? Blue Eyes would be blasted in to oblivion! Kisara turned a look of alarm on the Pharaoh. He caught her eye and nodded almost imperceptibly. She tilted her head in confusion, but nodded back just as discreetly.

She gripped Seto's arm and whispered something to him. Atem saw Seto's fist clench, and knew that he would withhold his attack.

_NOW! _Atem commanded.

A growl, a roar, and a screech all combined to create a sound that made everyone cover their ears. Two dragons dove at Diabound, while a third creature crashed through the Palace walls and straight in to Diabound with the other two.

"The Gods!" Mahad said in wonder, shielding his eyes.

Atem closed his eyes and held himself completely still, listening to Diabounds retaliating snarls. Every scratch sent a pang of anguish racking up his spine and along his legs. When it became to much, he fell to his knees. Needing energy, Atem recalled the Summoned Skull so that he disappeared. He needed his other monsters more.

Ra raked at Diabound's head, Slifer wrapped around him completely, and Obelisk pounded the snake-like thing's body, grabbing him like Slifer. Diabound's feeble attempt to escape amounted to nothing.

Angered, Bakura jumped from Diabound and rolled on the ground, shaking angrily.

Even more dark souls poured through the crumpled gate. Atem knew he could never win. Not yet, when he was so weak. "Get to the dungeons," he panted to the Guardians. When they moved to protest, he growled, "Now! That's an order!"

All scrambled away except for Mahad. "I will not leave you, Pharaoh!" he insisted.

Atem had known he would. "Fine," he said. He wasn't up to fighting anyway.

Mahad blinked. "Fine?"

Atem didn't answer, pushing himself to his feet and staggering forward. "Hamon! Where are you, coward?" he rasped. "You send Bakura ahead of you? To do what?"

Bakura began laughing. _"Diabound! Helical explosion!"_

Atem gaped, _"What?"_

Seto shielded Kisara, pushing her behind Blue Eyes. Mahad had no time to do anything as the explosion hit.

Diabound actually exploded—destroying the Gods.

* * *

><p>Yugi held his head in his hands. He couldn't defeat Diabound with Gandora. The dragon was gone—and now Bakura had his ability. He pounded the ground, "Ra!" he said angrily.<p>

Something shook the ground.

They all looked up. After a moment, there was an explosion that made them all duck as it sprayed Palace debris all around them. Yugi's head snapped around and Mana spun on the spot as a wave of dark energy swept over them and knocked them off their feet. It was as if darkness itself was thrown at them like a building. Yugi felt like a bowling pin, unable to control his own movements. He knocked in to the wall painfully with groan.

Aknamkanon, Amisi, Mana, Shimon and Yugi all rolled over groaning and looked towards where the wave had come from.

"What was that?" Yugi whispered, voice ragged, "Was that…" he trailed off, unable to say what he desperately hoped was wrong. Had Diabound used Gandora's ability?

No one said anything. They had a sudden realization.

For the second time that day, the world fell silent. No sound whatsoever. This time it went on longer.

Something was wrong.

That much was obvious, but it was more than that. Yugi couldn't feel Atem anymore.

* * *

><p>Hamon stormed in through the reckage, "Where is he?" he snarled under his breath.<p>

Dust: gold, red, blue, black and white dust was in the air as the aftermath of the explosion. That priest, Seto, was lying facedown on the ground by a girl with white hair. Hamon's own soldiers lay unconscious on the ground. Bakura was no where to be seen, but Hamon was sure he was fine. He always was.

Hamon rolled the Pharaoh on to his back. He was out cold, of course, though he wasn't sure whether it was more than that or not. He didn't really care. Either way, that key, and this world, were his. He was feeling quite good.

Thanks to Bakura and his new beast's ability, _he_ Hamonwould become king of the Afterlife.

He searched the Pharaoh for the key.

"What?" he snapped crisply, "Where is it?"

Not far from the Pharaoh was the Magician, Mahad. Beyond him were the other three Guardians. Pushing the Pharaoh away from him, he went over to the Magician, ring poised. He had to take someone, and Mahad was next on his list.

The Magician's gray eyes flashed open and he seized Hamon's wrist, flipping him over him. Hamon twisted in the air and managed to land on his feet. Turning, he found Mahad crouched before the Pharaoh protectively.

"You're better than I thought," Hamon muttered. Unpredictably, he sprang behind him and pressed the knife-like ring in to Karim's chest.

Karim vanished. Gone.

"Karim!" Mahad gasped, _"What have you done?"_

Mahad stepped forward, but Hamon had already stuck the ring in to Shada. He too was gone.

Isis was next.

Mahad's staff came forward. Before Hamon could even take a single step, he was blasted off his feet and in to the wall. It seemed like seconds before he was springing back at Mahad with the ring, a manic gleam in his eye.

Mahad's staff took him in the torso, sending him sprawling away. At that moment, Seto and Kisara woke, moaning, and more dark souls poured through the gates. Mahad had only seconds.

"Seto, Kisara, quickly!" he cried, his voice cracking, "We must go!"

Seto and Kisara quickly rose, and Mahad swung both Isis and the Pharaoh in to his arms, eyes stinging at the thought of Shada and Karim gone.

Hamon dusted himself off and watched them go. "Sir, should we go after them?" a dark soul asked.

"No, not yet," Hamon said calmly, "I got what I need. They can't go far, anyway. We'll get them."

"Mahad," Seto panted, "What happened?"

"I do not know," Mahad said.

"Where are Shada and Karim?"

"Gone."

"Gone?"

"Hamon took their souls. They're gone."

Silence greeted his words. From then on, they simply ran.

At the dungeon doors, Mahad nearly ran in to Yugi, who was in tears. "Atem!" he exclaimed, "No, no—Mahad, Bakura, Diabound—"

"Diabound exploded," Mahad said.

"I know," Yugi said miserably. "It's my fault."

"Your fault? How?" asked Seto.

"He destroyed my Gandora, the dragon of destruction," he said tearfully, "It's all my fault!"

"It is not, Yugi," Mahad said quickly, "It was just a stroke of bad luck. Now come, we must go, quickly! They are coming! We have to seal the dungeons!"

"Let me take Atem," Yugi said, wiping away his tears, "I have to do something for him. He shouldn't be like this."

"When Diabound exploded, it destroyed the Egyptian Gods," Mahad said quietly, "His energy levels were already nearly depleted. Their destruction only made it worse. I do not know when he will wake." Carefully, he handed the Pharaoh to Yugi.

Yugi pulled Atem's arm around his shoulder, resting his limp body against his back. They turned back to the dungeon and made surprisingly quick time to the doors.

"No, Atem," Mana choked, touching his face.

"Everyone in," Mahad instructed, his eyes on the Pharaoh worriedly. They hovered around the Pharaoh, blinking away tears. "Staring at him isn't going to do him any good!" Mahad cried, "Everyone get in the dungeons! Now!"

He passed Isis to Seto as he and Kisara entered, looking back at the king. Aknamkanon and Amisi went next, with Shimon close behind. Mana refused to leave Atem's side.

As they were entering the dungeons, Hamon came striding confidently in to the courtyard.

The Pharaoh groaned.

"Atem?" Yugi breathed, "Are you awake?"

He mumbled something. "What?" Mahad asked, looking distractedly from the Pharaoh and back to Hamon. Yugi's expression was one of deep concern and concentration. He frowned, and then nodded. "What?" Mahad repeated irately.

"Atem said we have to seal the dungeons or everyone will be destroyed," Yugi relayed. "We have to fight them off while Mahad does that."

"We?" Mana asked, "As in you and me?"

"Yep," Yugi nodded. "Atem's out again," he swallowed in concern, but wiped the tears from his face with the hand that wasn't holding his friend up. He gently laid him on the ground. "Seal it up, Mahad."

"What about us?" he asked in alarm.

"Don't worry, I've got a plan," Yugi said, "Or rather, Atem and I have a plan."

"Excuse me?" Mana said, watching Hamon approach. He sure was taking his sweet old time walking with his big menacing army of dark souls. What a show off.

Yugi just smiled. "I'm not much of a swordfighter, but Atem is."

* * *

><p><strong>I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry—this was <em>five <em>pages. It is by far the longest update I have written so far. Enjoy it. You'll get more tomorrow!**

**Review!**

**(Don't kill me!)**

**-Anevay**


	19. Crossing over

**Disclaimer: Yugioh… you know, it's funny, you'd think I would own it by now, but hey, look at that—I don't!**

Author's note: okay, so I've been having some problems with FFnet—it doesn't send the reviews to my email and doesn't show how many viewers I've had in the last two days and junk. Anywho, there are suggestions I'd like to make concerning reviews. I know, I know, I'm the writer, I'm not supposed to suggest—but here's what I'm looking for: I don't want to just hear 'cool' or 'I like it,' as much as it pleases me to hear that. Tell me _what_ you like about it! What you want to see! I've got some of those, and I'm taking those in to account. Also, I would like the swearing to stay off the reviews, please, thanks ^-^ it's just more pleasant to read! As much as I love your reviews X)

Tsuki: Good little Anevay.

Anevay: Son of Set, Tsuki, quit calling me that! I am not 'little.'

Tsuki: Keep telling yourself that, little writer.

Anevay: Ugh! Never mind then. Thanks/responses:

Reviewers: **Aqua girl 007, fan person, xMocha(x2), suggestion, jak dragon(x2), me(x2), and Angel's Riot!**

**Fan person**: ha, ha. Wait and see.

**xMocha**: hahah Shimon and Exodia crack me up too! That's why I put them in there. You and I have the same sense of humor, my friend! Sorry about the cliffhanger X)

**suggestion**: hahah I don't know why, but your review cracked me up. Quote: 'Mana gets kidnapped ;)' hahah no idea why that's funny—I guess it's just cause you threw it out there like nothing. Haha thanks for reviwing!

**Jak dragon**: ah, Red Eyes is way cool. He'll probably make an appearance later. Patience! ^o^

**Me**: haha we'll see where we go with this in the mean time! Man, that last review was classic! Love it! hahah "Love u to bitz u got it going on 4 u babe, u shake that pen till the sun don't shine - that doesn't make sense - but hey I'm me so don't judge, ur story is great xxx ;)" hahah that had me giggling for like five minutes! (In a good way) You're probably one of my favorite reviewers today!

**Angel's Riot**: ha—I made Yugi cry, yes, because Gandora was beaten by Diabound, who, after all, absorbs the defeated monsters powers… so Yugi knew Bakura had that power as soon as he destroyed him. Bakura would know all about that, of course. You know, Dawn of the Duel (Memory World) is my favorite arc! Haha anywho, thanks for the great review!

Whoo—that's all, FFnet folks. Let's move on with the story!

* * *

><p><em>Crossing over<em>

"Say what?" Mana asked in confusion. "Yugi…"

Yugi drew his curved sword, closing his eyes. When they reopened moments later, they were a deep amethyst instead of a lighter violet—and instead of large very Yugi eyes, they were narrowed. His bearing seemed different, more confident.

He smirked, and Mana and Mahad received a shock at his voice.

"Duel me, Hamon," he demanded in a baritone, "One on one."

Hamon stopped, frozen with wide eyes. His gaze darted between the Pharaoh on the ground and the new opponent who faced him. They looked nearly the same besides the pale skin and clothing.

"Who are you?" he asked in raged confusion. "You're not _him._"

"Well, not technically," the opponent agreed, "It's not my body, anyway. It's my descendants' and dear friends'. He's very sporting to let me use it," he raised the sword again, "So, Hamon, what do you say? A duel of swords? Winner goes free?"

Hamon recovered some of his composure. "That depends on what you mean by 'free.' I'm not going to let you escape after a simple duel of swords, Pharaoh."

"Then how about this," the Pharaoh said, "I win, and my friends and I escape in to the dungeons. You win, and you are free to take me, but not the others." He gestured to his prone body, lying on the ground, "They go free, to the dungeons, including the boy whose body I now control, and you get to take precious little me."

"If you win," Hamon mused, "And go to the dungeons, I don't have to surrender?"

The Pharaoh shook his head. "You are free to chase me to your heart's content."

"Very well," Hamon agreed, drawing his own, straight-bladed sword, "A duel of swords. Winner goes free, in a sense."

The Pharaoh looked at Mana and Mahad, "Mahad, seal those dungeons. We can't risk anything. Mana, you're charged with, ah," he jerked his head uncertainly at himself lying on the ground, "Me."

Mana made a face, "Is that really you in there, Atem?"

He smiled slightly, "A portion of me. I'll explain later. Actually, Yugi probably will." He turned back to Hamon, who was advancing. Atem strode forward, reminding himself that this was Yugi's body, not his, so he had to be even more cautious. Yugi could actually die. He swallowed at that, making a mental note not to get gutted by Hamon.

_Atem, just get in there and fight, _Yugi thought to him, and Atem mentally saw him fold his arms.

_I'm going, I'm going, _Atem thought, _I'm strategizing._

The Pharaoh advanced, stepping lightly. Barely feet away, he lunged. Hamon had to jump back to avoid the folly, for the Pharaoh withdrew the sword and made a side-cut for his neck. Hamon ducked, barely defending as the King advanced on him with his curved sword slashing and hacking relentlessly. His footwork was flawless and light, barely pausing for a moment at each stroke.

Hamon slowly gained his composure, parrying more accurately now. At each stroke the swords met with a metallic clang. The opponents danced in circles in a dizzying display of accuracy. Hamon was a good swordsman, and his skill grew more apparent as they duel went, though the Pharaoh was far superior. He didn't seem to be trying as much as he could.

Atem glanced diplomatically in the direction of Mahad and Mana. He could sense that Mahad was just finishing up the spell, while Mana had his body's arm around her shoulders, supporting his limp frame. It was strange to be fighting and see himself at the same time.

_Nearly time, Yugi, _he thought.

_I'm ready, _came Yugi's reply.

Abruptly, the Pharaoh's manner changed. He focused more, his amethyst eyes tight. He stepped closer to Hamon and reined havoc with the sword so that his opponent could barely defend. His offense grew stronger and faster, making Hamon duck and twist away more than attack and parry. Sweat beaded on the enemy's brow, wondering if the Pharaoh wouldn't simply dispose of him there and now, making short work of it.

In a duel of swords, he was clearly outmatched.

Perhaps it was simply a matter of outfoxing the fox.

For the time being, he felt he could withdraw. He clumsily parried, growing sloppier and sloppier. His footwork became weak and he was rolling away from the Pharaoh now. As he rolled again, bringing his sword up to defend himself again, he found the Pharaoh had sprinted away with his sword in its scabbard.

"Coward!" he cried, getting to his feet.

The Pharaoh glanced back, "We both know I was going to win, so I withdrew. Besides, I've done what I needed to do." He pulled something silver from beneath his robes. It glinted in the dusty sunlight, and Hamon realized what it was.

"The key!" he cried, "Get him!"

The Pharaoh inserted the key in to mid air and spoke a crossing over spell. A portal appeared as a sort of wormhole. Atem pushed it wider, holding it open and tucking the cartouche away beneath his shirt. "Mahad, Mana, quickly!" he ushered.

Mahad turned, "The dungeons are sealed."

"Good. Let's go."

The army was seconds away. Mahad shoved Mana, Atem, himself and Yugi through the portal to the World of the Living, which Atem quickly closed with a snap of his fingers before releasing his control on Yugi. After all, he was the Pharaoh, so yes, he could do those kinds of things.

Tumbling through to the opposite side, with the portal closed, everything seemed much more peaceful.

Yugi wasn't as used to the whole body-control switching thing anymore. Crossing a portion of Atem's spirit in to his body had been the easy part, getting used to it all over again was another matter altogether.

They literally fell over, stumbling on one another. Yugi abruptly gaining control of his own body didn't help much. He was only just gathering his bearings when they were suddenly in bright sunlight, tripping over each other. There seemed to be more bodies than Yugi remembered. Hadn't there been only four? He was quite sure there was at least seven or eight now.

"What the heck?" cried a familiar voice, "What was that for?"

"Yeah, watch where you're going!" bellowed another.

"Joey, Tristan?" Yugi asked in astonishment, trying to pull himself from the tangle of bodies.

Three of the seven bodies froze in surprise. Then: _"Yugi!"_

He found himself smothered by three massive bear-hugs, barely able to breathe. "Hey, guys," he wheezed, "It's good to see you too."

* * *

><p><strong>Heheh! Don't you just hate me sometimes? It's not really a cliffhanger—well, sorta… promise that the next one won't be!<strong>

**So, review! ^o^ _what _do you like about it and _why_? These are the questions. Answers are imperative. Thanks!**

**Make sure you don't pick you lip too much. It hurts later.**

**-Anevay**


	20. The World of the Living

**Disclaimer: am I a bit obsessed with Yugioh? Yes. Is it a tad unhealthy? You could say that. Do I own Yugioh or any of the characters or the show? Of course not.**

Author's note: Wow! Ten reviews on the last chap! Thanks guys! It's very pleasing to know that you guys like it! So here we go, thanks/responses/whatever:

Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight, me(x2), Aqua girl 007, princess atemma, Angel's Riot, fan person, HeartXCrossbones, **&** jak dragon.**

Favoriters/subscribers/whatevers: **Anju Styx **& **Kant.**

**Me**: (rolls on ground laughing) Oh, goodness… (Takes long, deep breath) your reviews lately are mostly just random funniness turning to convos, but man, that was a good laugh. Thanks for being a constant reviewer!

**Angel's Riot**: Ah, no Joey and Tristan are not in the Afterlife! Mahad, Atem, Yugi and Mana are now in the World of the Living! Sorry if I didn't make that clear :P my fault! All fixed now. I'm glad you're liking ^D^ Oh, but with the Mahad thing, I wasn't switching to his viewpoint, I was just showing that he was the one doing the shoving. Anywho, your reviews are always insightful to me! Thanks!  
><strong>jak dragon<strong>: Hahah glad you could predict it a bit. It is called the _Return _of the Pharaoh, so I had to make him go to the World of the Living at some point. A perfect balance? Thank you! XD oh, but sorry to disappoint you, but I probably won't be writing any GX. :P no offense intended, of course, but GX is a wanna-be compared to the original. I _may _consider it, depending on how many people want it. I watched portions of GX and I liked the JadenxAlexis pairing… we'll see.

Anyway, that's it for that. Let's move on! Huzzah.

* * *

><p><em>The World of the Living<em>

Hamon roared in frustration. "He's gone!"

The army behind him came to an awkward standstill. Finally one soldier spoke up hesitantly: "What do you want us to do, sire?"

Hamon stood still for a long time, staring, steaming, at the dungeon doors. He would have to find some way to open them. Perhaps he could find a magician of his own to undo the spell.

But without that key, he would never free his Dark Soul Dragon.

His fists clenched tightly, compressing the blood in his hands and causing his knuckles and palms to be white. When he examined a palm, he found his fingernails had crescent impressions. He flexed his fingers, breathing deeply and trying to relax. "We plan," he said quietly, and glared dejectedly at the dungeon doors. "There's nothing more we can do. I am now the king of the Afterlife." Cheers proceeded his words, and he turned to them with a look of calm preservation.

He let them cheer for a moment longer. In one respect, he had succeeded. In another, he had failed. He had not yet obtained the Pharaoh's soul. His was the one soul Hamon _had _to add to his collection. If he didn't capture the Pharaoh, he would defeat Hamon—he was sure of that. The Pharaoh was no fool.

He could now claim the high throne of the Afterlife, but others would object. The independent nations all over the Afterlife would immediately rebel and fight, and would have to be conquered, and for that he would need his dragon—for which he needed that _key _to free it. Curse the Pharaoh. Curse him to his soon-to-be new grave

Of course, he wanted the Pharaoh alive, in a sense.

Now he would have to fortify himself against the other nations. Build the walls. Place traps in the empty world of Egypt. He already had armies upon armies at his command, and ones which could not die or perish. It would take meticulous planning, but he should survive.

"We haven't won yet, gentlemen. Now we inhabit the Palace of Egypt. Search the entire Palace. If you find any survivors, kill them."

* * *

><p>After embracing his friends and accepting a kiss on the cheek from Tea (at which his face burned, but he smiled happily), Yugi turned to Mahad and Mana, who were supporting the Pharaoh.<p>

Tea gasped, "What happened? What's _been _happening?"

Before Yugi could answer, the form of the Pharaoh actually _flickered._

Mana cursed in Egyptian, "Ra! Quick, Yugi, the cartouche!"

Yugi scrambled for it, tossing it to Mana. She spoke a quick spell and hung it around his neck. She then spoke the same spell, touching the ruby necklace at her throat. Mahad repeated the spell, gripping a ring previously around his finger in his palm.

"What was that about?" Yugi wondered.

"We do not have bodies, Yugi," Mahad explained. "For the time being, the objects we spoke the spell over will serve as our vessels. As long as we wear them, we should be fine—for the next twelve hours, at least."

"The next twelve hours?" Joey repeated, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, can we hear the whole story first?" Tristan was scratching his head. The three looked extremely confused.

"Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere indoors," Mahad suggested, glancing around. At the moment there was no one around along the narrow, sunlit street, but that could change. "If anyone sees us, we will draw unwanted attention," Mahad continued.

They all had to agree that Mahad, Mana, Atem and Yugi looked rather strange in their Egyptian garb. "Yeah," Yugi agreed, "We need to find somewhere Atem can rest."

* * *

><p>The gang crashed at Ryou's—thankfully, his parents were out on business. It was good to have a friend who was nice, rich, and whose parents were often gone. They were lucky he was willing to help them. He had appeared more than a little confused at first, but happy to help.<p>

Yugi knew they couldn't go to his house. Tea had explained the whole world-wide search for the King of Games, so he wasn't sure what to do. If they went to the game shop, Grandpa would ask questions and eventually everyone would wonder where he had been. Atem, Mahad and Mana could be blamed for his disappearance.

So, Tea had gone to her place for clothes for Mana and Yugi's for fresh clothes for him and Tristan and Joey had gone shopping for Atem and Mahad. Meanwhile, the Egyptians and Yugi had eaten a meal made by Ryou and gotten some well-deserved rest.

Yugi had crashed on the couch while the Egyptian took the dual-bed guest room. As soon as Yugi felt rested, he had gotten up (hungry again), taken a shower, changed in to the clothes Tea had brought him, and was now hoping for another meal.

Yugi stretched. It felt so good to be back in his old clothes again. No restricting gold, no dress—whoops, tunic—and nothing holding his hair down. He could finally feel a breeze in the right place. No offense to Atem, of course. He could actually pull it off. Not to mention the fact that he was used to it.

Tristan and Joey still weren't back from shopping for Mahad and Atem, which was unsurprising. What more of an explanation was needed other than the fact that they were boys? _Joey and Tristan_ boys?

Yugi peeked in to the guest bedroom. Atem was still unconscious, lying peacefully in the nearest bed. Mana lay curled up beside him, while Mahad took the other bed. They were beat. No amount of noise would wake them.

Well, hopefully.

"_Yug! We got Mahad and the Pharaoh some clothes!" _Joey bellowed. The big mouth.

Quickly and quietly, Yugi closed the door, running downstairs to the spacious front room. He was about to scold Joey, but Tea beat him to it.

"Joey! Would you _be quiet, _you big-mouthed monkey? They're asleep!" she hissed, seizing his ear, "How do you like it when someone wakes _you _up? They're exhausted!"

Tristan skirted away from the scene, setting the bags on the nearby couch. "Sorry we took so long, Yug. We kind of had to guess at Mahad's size. He's tall and lanky. The Pharaoh was easier. We figured he was around your size. Maybe a little taller," he grinned.

Yugi grinned back. It felt good to be with the rest of the gang. It was also nice to shower, sleep, eat, be in comfortable clothes and just relax. He wasn't completely relaxed, of course. There was still the matter of the Afterlife; Hamon and Bakura and whatever that 'other power' was. He was also worried about Atem. When would he wake up? Would he wake up at all?

Yugi mentally shook his head. He had to wake up.

Tea pushed Joey away, scowling. She turned to Yugi, "Are they still sleeping?"

Yugi nodded, "Completely out. I doubt they'll wake up before tomorrow."

Tristan sighed, "What happened, exactly?"

Yugi sat, crossing his legs and preparing to tell the story. Tea, Tristan and Joey all sat around him. Yugi took a deep breath, "Well…"

* * *

><p>…<strong>not much more to say in this chap. Sorry if it's a bit boring. Just kind of a fillerupdater/friend-y chappie. I'll update soon, don't worry, I'm just super tired :P I had a choir concert tonight and had to go an hour earlier, not to mention it's the end of term… anyway, forget my complaints: review!**

**-Anevay**


	21. He's awake?

**Disclaimer: so I may or may not have a _slight _obsession with Atem… so what? So I _may _or _may _not have a _slight _obsession with Yu-Gi-Oh… what's your point? I agree that I should own it—but no, I don't. Ha! It's a nice thought, though.**

Author's note: _any_way! Here we go. Thanks/responses/blah-blah…:

Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight, fan person, Aqua girl 007, me(x2), Angel's Riot **& **xMocha!**

**The Trio of Twilight**: Thank you! ^O^ I always try to add some humor in my stories, whether it's funny or not… haha, and I can sing Soprano and Alto, but I prefer Soprano/second Soprano ^-^ my range is kind of between Alto and Soprano, so being a second is fun. I am definitely not a second Alto though, I'll tell you that!

**Fan person**: hahah I like making them curse in Egyptian—just since it's, well, Egyptian… but no I totally agree with you on the cursing thing. Cursing isn't very cool in my opinion, but you know, whatever floats your boat, right?

**Aqua girl 007**: haha I had a feeling you would appreciate that ;) and I mean, it _is _true…

**Me**: oh, I'm not saying where I live. Not in a million years. Hahah man, your reviews just get bolder and bolder. Thanks for the review, but let's keep it tied to the story ;) haha!

**Angel's Riot**: oh, I love Ryou! I figured someone would appreciate him in this. Atem and Mana, ah, they're so cute. I decided that they needed a good, long resting period after all they've been through in a period of less than three days… you know. Haha thank you! Joey is one of my favorite characters to write about. So many writers neglect him and Tristan!

**xMocha**: oops! I mean twelve hours _with _the object on. That's how long the spell lasts. Sorrys!

Well, that's all for that… here we go!

* * *

><p><em>Waking...sort of<br>_

Sometimes, Atem would twitch in his sleep. Mana was aware of every movement he made.

A day and a half, and he was still out.

Mahad checked him every day; feeling his pulse, checking his temperature, performing a spell on him that checked his energy levels. They were rising slowly, but it would take time for them to fully replenish.

Yugi seemed constantly anxious for his friend to awake. He paced, he wondered. He had filled the rest of the gang in, and Tea, Joey and Tristan were no better off than he was. Mahad could barely go about preparing ingredients without worrying. He was prepping everything to perform the spell on their objects that would allow the objects to be their vessels. In order for it to work properly, he had to do it just right.

When Atem would wake, no one was really sure. They weren't even sure _if _he would wake. That was the scariest part.

For now, the Pharaoh slept.

* * *

><p>Mana felt Atem shift slightly beside her. She was immediately awake, blinking blearily. She had slept so well, but Atem's present condition was forever on her mind. Two days had passed since their arrival—and Atem slept on. She supposed she was unsurprised that he was still out. He was more than exhausted.<p>

His eyes were still closed, but his eyelids were tight and fluttering. She held her breath, and her heart stopped right along with it, waiting and hoping for the nearly impossible.

His amethyst eyes opened.

Mana still didn't breathe. "Atem?" she said, barely above a whisper.

His eyes moved groggily in her direction. "Mana?" he murmured, so she could barely make it out. Mana touched his face, letting out the air she had been holding captive. He closed his eyes tight shut for a moment before they fluttered back open, blinking the salt-water away. His amethyst-eyed gaze turned back to her. "How long…?"

"Two days," she answered quietly.

Atem shook his head, trying to free his absent mind of its previously floating state. He barely managed to succeed. He had used more energy than he could afford. One more slip like that and he was toast.

Speaking of toast, he was quite hungry.

Mana read his mind, "Are you hungry?"

When he nodded, she quickly pecked his forehead, "I'll be right back. They'll be glad to know you're awake!" She scampered away, pulling on a robe as she went.

Atem tried to piece his brain back together. It seemed to still be split all over his head, trying to reassemble itself and not quite managing the task. That wasn't good. He needed his head in one piece if he was going to save the Afterlife.

Atem shook his head again, making it throb with a pulsating headache and causing his ears to ring. He groaned softly, making a mental note not to do that again.

Meanwhile, Mana made her way to the kitchen, where Ryou was making breakfast. He glanced at her as she entered.

"Good morning, Mana," he smiled, "Care for some eggs and ham? French toast is nearly ready."

"I'll take four of everything," Mana said promptly, "If that's not a problem…?"

"Oh, no!" Ryou assured her, "Why so much?"

She held a finger to her lips, eyes shining. "Wait until he's fed."

A light of curiosity lit his gaze. "You mean he's…?"

She pressed the finger to her lips harder, "Don't tell yet! He needs to be rested before everyone bombards him."

Ryou nodded, "Your secret's safe with me."

Entering the guest room, Mana found Atem with his eyes closed again, chest rising slowly. He hadn't moved from his previous position even an inch. In fact, it almost looked like he was sleeping again.

"Atem?" she whispered, setting the tray down carefully at the edge of the bed. His eyes opened and she smiled in relief, "Good, you're still awake. I was afraid you had gone back to sleep."

He smiled tiredly. "No," he managed, his voice a croak, "Too hungry."

"Can you sit up, or do I have to feed you?" Mana wondered teasingly. She was just glad he was awake.

Atem grinned. It wasn't much, but it was something. He groaned as he tried to sit up. Mana helped him in to a sitting position, leaning against a plethora of pillows. The whole time, he felt like a piece of rubber being pulled apart, farther and farther. He wasn't used to movement. He was sore _everywhere._

Mana sat beside him, pulling the tray up over their laps. Gently, she stroked his arm. "Are you okay?"

He chuckled slightly. "Not really, but I'll be fine."

He forced himself to move, to eat, but nearly every movement hurt. He put on a smile for Mana, listening to her talk about Yugi, Tea, Joey, Tristan and Ryou, telling him how Tea had gotten her the cutest outfits. She told him that Tea, Joey and Tristan all knew about what was going on in the Afterlife, but they didn't want to include Ryou until they had his permission.

As soon as he was done eating, he slumped back in to the pillows. He was already ready to sleep again.

Mana moved the tray to a table set at the end of the bed, then crawled up beside him. Numbly, he put an arm around her. "Do you want to see the others, or do you want to rest some more?"

He sighed. "I want to see them, Mana, but I don't know if they should see me like this. I feel so weak."

Mana sat up and kissed him, "Get some more rest. You can talk to them when you wake up. We'll plan when you're ready. For now, it's no rush. You need to rest."

Atem sighed, "I don't want to rest, though."

Mana giggled. He was complaining like a child. "Go back to sleep, Atem. I'll be right here when you wake up."

"Alright," he muttered reluctantly. Mana laid him back down, and he was asleep again in seconds.

Mana peered out to see Mahad returning from his preparations for the spells. "I sensed him wake," he whispered, "Is he…?"

"He was awake," Mana beamed, "But as soon as he ate, he went back to sleep. He's exhausted, Mahad, and he's in pain. I can feel it, even though he tries to hide it from me."

Mahad nodded, "Let me see him."

Mana stepped aside. Mahad crossed to the Pharaoh and felt his pulse; it had returned to normal. He checked his energy levels, only to find that they were nearly full. "Remarkable," he murmured, "It should have taken at least a week to replenish his life-force, but he is nearly healed. He should be fine by tomorrow evening. Resting is the best thing for him."

Mahad was relieved to know that the Pharaoh was alright. The fact that he had been awake was a good sign. He would be fine.

From downstairs, they heard Joey and Tristan fighting: "Joey, quit hogging the French toast!"

"Tris-_tan! _Don't you touch my French toast! You've got, like, six pieces!"

"Yeah, and you've got seven!"

"So wait till Ryou makes more, ya pig! These are mine, toast-stealer!"

"So we're on to name-calling now, are we? Hey, Joey, dogs aren't supposed to sit at the table!"

_"What'd you call me?"_

Mahad and Mana shook their heads, and Mahad turned to go as Mana settled down next to Atem. Just another typical morning.

* * *

><p><strong>Was that a boring chap? Sorry if it was :P another filler chap. In another two chaps we should see some action. Don't worry, I promise we'll get to some exciting stuff soon!<strong>

**In the mean time, review!**

**The button is at the bottom of the page…. You know you want to… just give in, click it…**

**-Anevay**


	22. Talking things over

**Disclaimer: don't own it. obviously. **

Author's note: I apologize for the previously short chap! I'm just debating where to go with this at the moment… anywho, I'll figure it out tomorrow since I'll have so much time on my hands. Here we go! Sorry it's late. I went to the Hunger Games movie at midnight and well… I was really tired. I know, excuses, excuses…

Thanks/responses:

Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight, me(x2), princess atemma, Aqua girl 007, fan person, nicey **&** jak dragon(x2).**

For favoriting: **TurboDuel!**

**The Trio of Twilight**: Cool! XD I'm singing Alto in school right now. It's fun ^o^

**Me**: thanks, and no way? You're really drawing it?

**Princess atemma**: this story will be longer than the Afterlife.

**Aqua girl 007**: that's a good question… just because I can put that in there? :D haha he still has vitals even though he's technically dead. Don't ask why, it's just cause ^o^

**Fan person**: oh, Atem, calm down. Be humble like always. Anyway, I know a bit of Egyptian but I'm teaching myself it.

**Nicey**: I know, I was trying to find a place to put him, but you know… more Yugi this chap!  
><strong>jak dragon<strong>: hahah if more people ask, I'll write one, but I'll have to do some research, since I don't watch GX :P

Well look at that! We're on to another chapter!

* * *

><p><em>Talking things over<em>

Yugi sighed. Atem had woken half an hour ago, but Mahad was checking him over before he allowed anyone in—other than Mana.

So he stood in the hall outside the guest room, beside the stairs, arms folded. Tea, Joey, Tristan and Ryou stood nearby in various poses of impatience. From inside they heard the Pharaoh, _"Good Geb, _Mahad! I'm_ fine!"_

A moment later the door opened. "Mighty Ma'at…" Mahad muttered, peeking out and shaking his head. "Apparently his highness will be stubborn. You may see him now."

Yugi lead the way, beaming as he saw his friend sitting up in the bed, arms folded and a defiant look on his face. He smiled in response to Yugi's beaming grin. Yugi sat on the edge of the bed, "Atem, you're awake," he said, grin still in place, "How do you feel?"

"As I told Mahad," Atem said (with a glare in Mahad's direction), "I feel fine. I'm ready to get up and _do _something." Mahad rolled his eyes with a sarcastic air when the Pharaoh threw him another glance. Mana and Atem grinned at their oldest friend.

Joey and Tristan raised their eyebrows. From what they could gather about Mahad, he was very strict, and yet here he was, seeming to be quietly joking with Atem and Mana. Then again, he had known them for a _very _long time.

"Yugi told us what happened," Tea said.

Joey pounded a fist into his palm, "And we're ready to help."

Tristan grinned, "Just say what you want us to do, Pharaoh."

Atem smiled, "Thank you, but I didn't want to involve any of you. You're in danger by being near me. I don't even want Yugi involved in this."

Yugi frowned indignantly, "We talked about this. I'm in this whether you like it or not." When Atem protested, Yugi continued: "We both know I'm safer and more helpful when I'm with you."

The Pharaoh just shook his head. "How do you always manage to win this argument?" Yugi just smiled.

Atem pushed the covers away, swinging his legs around. Mahad immediately darted forward, "Pharaoh—"

Atem pushed him aside, "Ma'at's sake, Mahad, I'm fine!"

Mahad stepped aside, arms folded and frowning as the Pharaoh pushed himself to his feet. When nothing happened, he smiled triumphantly. "So there," he said simply. Mahad's eyes narrowed, so Atem walked around a bit. "See?"

"Fine," Mahad said, "I suppose you are."

"Good," Atem said in satisfaction, "Now that my health is established," (another glance at Mahad), "I suggest we get down to business."

* * *

><p>With Atem showered, comfortably full-stomached and changed, they settled in Ryou's front room. The Pharaoh now wore a white muscle shirt, dark jeans, fashionable shoes and his usual accessories of gold—excluding the earrings and crown, and the cape, which he had changed for a dark blue jacket much like the one Yugi often wore.<p>

Mahad wore jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt, its sleeves rolled up. At his wrists and neck were the same gold adornments he didn't have the heart to remove, along with a gold ring on his left hand. He was feeling particularly naked without his headdress to cover his short chestnut hair.

Mana's outfit consisted of a thigh-length flaring denim skirt and a red top that had long, artistic holes in the three-quarter-inch sleeves. She also wore brown ankle boots and the same triangle-patterned red and blue bracelets at her ankles and wrists she used to wear, along with her ruby necklace. For once her wild brown hair was left to hang on its own without anything to hold it down, though she was thinking about changing that.

Atem leaned forward, elbows on his knees and hands clasped. Mana sat beside him, and Mahad at his other side. Ryou sat on a nearby armchair while Joey, Tristan, Yugi and Tea sat on the larger sofa across from the Egyptians.

"So what's the plan, Pharaoh?" Tristan urged.

"The plan?" pondered Atem, "None so far. The goal is to defeat Hamon and Bakura and whoever this other power is."

"So we're saving the world again?" Joey said, lounging back against the sofa.

Atem gave the barest of a grin, "Yes. You could put it that way." He closed his eyes for a moment, thinking. "I think the best thing to do right now is wait. Hamon will come for me soon. It won't be until then that we can truly act. For now, we should relax and build our strength. Plan and prepare. It's the best thing we can do."

Mahad was nodding, "That is true. We should train as well."

The Pharaoh nodded in agreement, "Yes, good idea, Mahad."

Mana sighed, placing a pouting chin in her palm. Atem glanced back at her, "What is it, Mana?"

She placed her elbow on his back, pouting still. "It's just that it seems like we're always doing this stuff. Saving the world, training, planning, worrying…" she trailed off. Atem frowned sadly and sat up, touching her cheek.

"I know," he said, his baritone voice full of regret, "I'm sorry." He looked around at them, amethyst eyes sad. "I'm sorry I've caused you all so much trouble." He opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped, standing. He put his hands in his pockets and strode away out the back door, closing it behind him.

When Mahad and the gang rose to follow him, Mana made a gesture to stop, shaking her head. "I'll talk to him," she said, "It's my fault he's like this."

With that she followed him outside.

"What is it with them?" Tristan muttered, "Something seems different."

"Yeah, something's definitely up," Ryou agreed quietly.

Mahad looked to Yugi in an obvious question: _why didn't you tell them?_

Yugi shrugged sheepishly. He hadn't felt it was his place to tell the others that Atem and Mana were married. That was up to them, not him.

Mahad realized Yugi's reasoning and knew that he felt the same way. The gang would have to figure it out for themselves.

* * *

><p>Mana found Atem pacing the vast garden outback. He was frowning sadly, lost in his thoughts. Mana moved up behind him, slipping her hand in to his. "Hey, don't go into Pharaoh-mode on me."<p>

He gave a vacant grin. Mana tugged on his hand, bringing them to a stop along the path between the flowerbeds. The sky was almost cloudless and there was a slight breeze playing across the air. The backyard, mostly consisting of gardens, was huge and colored with flowers. It was a lot like one of the gardens in the Palace, Mana realized.

Mana's aquamarine eyes stared into her husband's. "Atem, you don't have anything to be sorry for," she said quietly, "This is Hamon's fault."

"But everyone always wants to do something to _me," _Atem said, pain clear in his tone, "And because of that, everyone around me suffers. Look at the Guardians, my parents, Shimon, _your _parents, the people of Egypt! Look at Yugi, Tea, Tristan, Joey, Ryou and Mahad! Everyone else I've come in to contact with! Look at you! What good does it do you to be around me, Mana? All it causes is trouble and pain. All it does is make others hurt, protecting me, just being around me. I feel like it's my fault, Mana, because it always happens around me." He closed his eyes, burying his face in his hands, murmuring under his breath, "It's my fault."

Mana moved closer, pulling his hands away and wrapping her arms around him in a firm embrace. Atem held her tightly, breathing in the scent of her.

"If I couldn't be around you, Atem, I wouldn't want to be alive," she muttered, "It may seem dramatic, but it's true. You're my best friend. No matter what happens, I want to be with you."

Atem smiled to himself, embracing her even tighter. He rubbed her back, "What I would do without you, Mana, I don't know," he said under his breath.

She brought her face around to look at him, grinning knowingly, "Probably suffer withdrawals and feel completely miserable."

He chuckled, "Probably."

Atem cupped her cheek and brought their lips together. The kiss was long and deep, causing them both to relax and letting the stress melt away so it seemed like it was just them.

But it wasn't—Ryou, who had been peeking out to check on them, covered his mouth, eyes wide. Slowly, he withdrew. He forced his face to go completely blank, looking back down the way he had come.

Unfortunately, that only aroused suspicion when Joey and Tristan appeared around the corner. Their eyes narrowed at Ryou's expression. "What's up, Ryou?" questioned Tristan first.

Ryou's lips moved to speak but made no sound. He just shook his head.

So Tristan and Joey took a peek of their own.

Their eyes about popped out of their head. Quickly, they ducked back in to the kitchen, where the door was situated. They exchanged a look, and then Joey (the big mouth), called at the top of his lungs: _"Tea, Yugi, get over here!"_

Tristan and Ryou about killed him. Tristan hissed, "You idiot!"

Tea and Yugi came in to the kitchen, Yugi rather warily. "What?" Tea asked, "You didn't have to yell." They stopped short upon seeing Ryou and Tristan holding Joey to the ground, his mouth covered. Joey, however, managed to gesture vaguely towards a window beside the door.

Yugi looked first and his face reddened. He wondered if he should try to hide it from Tea, but Joey, Tristan and Ryou had already seen them, so there was really no point. He sighed as Tea looked through the blinds curiously, only to have her jaw drop in open-mouthed surprise.

"Oh my gosh!" Tea squealed, "They're_… kissing!" _Tea blinked before turning away, eyes wide. She had seen something else between the way they acted towards each other, but how far did it go?

They all looked to Yugi for an explanation. He gave a small, nervous smile. "Did I mention Atem and Mana are married?"

"_Married?"_

Yugi smiled, his hands going out in a gesture of: _I'm sorry?_

"And when were you going to tell us this?" Joey asked. They all looked completely surprised, eyes wide.

"Well…" Yugi said awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck, "I wasn't."

"Then who was?" Tristan cried.

"The Pharaoh and Mana," interrupted a hoarse voice. They all looked around to find Mahad with his arms folded, standing in the doorway. "That is why Yugi and I did not say anything."

"We have a right to know, though," Tea said, "I mean, it's not a bad thing. I'm glad they're together!" her blue eyes were smiling, "Atem deserves someone like Mana."

"Yes," Ryou agreed, "I would have liked to know…"

He trailed off as Joey pushed him and Tristan off of him, "Yeah! They're…"

"Perfect for each other," Tristan said, picking himself up off the floor.

Joey nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, and…"

"Cute," Tea added.

"Yeah!" Joey agreed again, "And they…"

"Make each other happy," Yugi added, "Atem and Mana need each other. I mean, they're pretty much best friends, right?"

Joey growled angrily. "I was gonna say that stuff!"

They all laughed and Mahad grinned. "So say it!" Tea said, pushing Joey over as he regained his feet.

"I was gonna!" Joey pouted.

Ryou, Tristan, Tea and Yugi just laughed.

* * *

><p><strong>Hahah the gang finds out! It wasn't much of a secret, but still a shocker!<strong>

**Well, review!**

**-Anevay**


	23. The Dream

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh—let's see, do I own the epic-ly awesome, amazing, cheesy, dramatic and yet oh-so-lovable TV show? No. Do I own the incredible, funny, crazy and lovable characters? Again, that answer would be a 'no.' But never fear… one day I might own something from it! Highly doubt it, but a girl can dream…**

Author's note: So, other than that unnecessarily long disclaimer, and the fact that I obviously can't spell unnecessarily… seeing as I spelled it wrong twice and now have to use spell check… there we go—other than that, there isn't much going on.

Tsuki: you are such a babbler. Get on with it!

Anevay: where have you been the last three chapters?

Tsuki: practicing my lines.

Anevay: for…?

Tsuki: when I come in to the story!

Anevay: but that's not for a while…

Tsuki: I still need to know my lines.

Anevay: _I _don't even know your lines! (Tsuki just smiles knowingly) _Anyway…_(gives Tsuki weird look) now that Tsuki is being weird, I'm ready to stop babbling.

Tsuki: I knew that would shake you out of it.

Thanks/responses/yada-ya:

Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight, me(x2), princess atemma, Aqua girl 007, fan person, jak dragon,**

**Me**: well I'm glad it's fun to draw ^o^ somehow I want to see it someday! Somehow. And thanks, but my spelling is fine.

**Princess atemma**: yes, I've read all three of them about two times and I'm about to read them for a third time.

**fan person**: I definitely find your reviews entertaining—and interesting. It's interesting to see you interact with the characters… and see how you portray them.

**jak dragon**: haha thanks, Joey and Tristan are my favorite to write! They're so funny. Haha you're fine ;)

I would also like to thank **vampialuva **for favoriting all of my stories except this one (so far) and adding me to their favorite author's list, along with adding me to staff of their community, but unfortunately I don't know how to add a community or contact you(since it doesn't give me the option to), not to mention the fact that I haven't read any of the books in the community soo… that could be a problem… o_O

Whoops - I've been babbling so I should probably shut up.

* * *

><p><em>The Dream<em>

The Guardians, Aknamkanon and Shimon stood before the dungeon doors. Something was pushing its weight against them with all its might. The doors appeared ready to rupture. This had been going on for three days, and so far they had held, but not for much longer.

Outside, there was a screeching as the creature let out it's frustration at not being able to get in. The screech sent a chill up their spine. It was as if hell itself had spoken.

Suddenly, miraculously, the spell Mahad had placed on the dungeon doors broke.

Suddenly the creature came in a streak of blood and fear, breaking through the doors as if they were clouds of vapor and hurling itself down the stone corridor with its awful screech of malice. Its scream of bloody murder made everyone within hearing distance to fall to the ground in terror, covering their heads.

The Guardians stared in dread towards the gate as someone marched down the steps to stand before them. "Well, well," said a man in long robes, "It appears I have finally broken your Magicians' spell. It was hard to crack, I admit, but not beyond my skills."

"Who are you?" demanded Isis fiercely. "How did you break his spell?"

"I, my dear, am a Sorcerer of great power," he smiled cruelly, "And as for your Magician's spell. He may be powerful, but nothing I can't surpass. He will fall by my hand."

Isis clenched her fist angrily. _No one _could defeat Mahad. He would see. Mahad could never be defeated. He was a Magician of immense power. Far beyond what this _sorcerer _could ever comprehend.

"What do you want?" Seto demanded with a superior air.

"I, Priest Seto, was sent to retrieve you," said the sorcerer, "King Hamon needed a spellcaster to demolish a spell, so here I am. And I will be paid handsomely for my assistance."

"Go to the Underworld," Seto growled, "You will never take us."

"Oh, but I think I will," the sorcerer disagreed, "You see, Hamon doesn't want your souls just yet. Oh, no, he thinks you could be, ah, _leverage _to get your _king _to submit to him. He will fall by the next fortnight. His highness will be very surprised when he finds that his precious Guardians have all nearly fallen. And his father and vizier, too," he added with a dark glint in his narrow eyes.

Hamon stepped down beside the sorcerer. He wore a great, glittering crown on his head. If possible, he appeared even more egotistical than before. He smirked, "Greetings, my new victims. If your king is watching now, he'll know that I'm coming for him."

* * *

><p>Atem shot up in bed, gasping and covered in sweat.<p>

He glanced around at his surroundings. He was lying in bed beside Mana, who was still asleep. She looked so peaceful. He shouldn't wake her.

No, he wouldn't wake her, even if the dream had shaken him.

He kissed Mana's temple and pushed the covers off him, rising silently and leaving the room. His footsteps made no noise on the hardwood floor as he made his way downstairs and outside. The moon shone above him. He figured it was the early hours of the morning, maybe three or four. The cold air felt good on his bare chest.

Atem closed his eyes, letting the wind play across his skin.

_That dream_, he thought, _it seemed so real. Amun-Ra, I hope…_he said a silent prayer to the gods. _Bes, Bastet, please, protect them…Horus, _he prayed to his patron, _lend me strength. Ra, Aten, Atum, Osiris—help me be a worthy king._

His chest rose in a low breath. He wished he could do more.

Atem turned and went back inside. Lying back in bed beside Mana, he slid his arm over her waist, setting his chin on her shoulder and trying to sleep.

* * *

><p>Atem and Mana laid on the grass in the garden, staring up at the clouds. They were particularly fluffy and white today, and Mana didn't want to miss a moment of it, so naturally, Atem was there with her.<p>

Atem was still thinking about his dream. So far he wasn't sure how to tell Mana about it. What if it had been real? What was he supposed to say? 'I'm sorry our friends have been captured by our enemies and I'm sorry I didn't tell you before'? What kind of stupid statement was that?

"Atem?"

"Hm?" he asked quickly, "Yes, dear?"

"I asked you what that cloud looks like," she said, dropping her arm turning her head to look at him.

They laid in opposite directions, so that their heads were side by side. She was giving him a funny look when Atem looked her in the eye. He sighed, "I'm sorry, Mana."

"What's up?" she asked, pushing herself into a sitting position.

Atem joined her, sitting up and frowning. "I… had a dream."

"Uh-huh," she encouraged warily.

"It was about the dungeons in the Palace."

The color drained from her face. "They didn't…"

Atem swallowed and placed his hand on her face, "A sorcerer broke Mahad's spell. I'm afraid they might have been captured. Hamon said he wanted to use them as leverage to get me to give in to him."

Mana closed her eyes, leaning forward and burying her face in his chest. "No…" she murmured, "This can't be."

Atem didn't say anything, holding her close. What was he supposed to say? There was nothing they could do. All they really _could _do was to wait for Hamon to find them or contact him.

Mana tried not to cry. She had to be strong, for Atem, and for herself. For the others, too. They would get the others back. They had to. "Tell me about the sorcerer," she managed, holding in her tears.

He rubbed her back, breathing out gustily, "He was tall. He wore robes. He said that one day he would defeat Mahad."

Mana stiffened. "He won't," she said. Her tone was one of anger and determination. "Mahad is a powerful Magician. He's the strongest. No one can defeat Mahad." Slowly, she looked up at him with pleading eyes, "Right?"

Atem nodded, "Right. Mahad is the most powerful Magician I have ever known, Mana."

Mana nodded in satisfaction, and they laid down to look up at the clouds again. Atem played with her hair, gazing at her face and praying that he was right. The sorcerer hadn't _seemed _as powerful, but looks could be deceiving.

Lying there in silence, two pairs of tromping feet suddenly broke through their reverie.

"Hey, there, guys!" said Joey cheerfully, plopping down beside them, "Mind if we join in?"

Without waiting for an answer, they laid back on the grass as well, making a diamond out of the four of them. Mana glanced at the top of Tristan's head, on the other side of hers. Atem glanced at Joey's. They exchanged one last glance between them, making faces at one another. This was weird. Then again, it _was _Joey and Tristan.

They both sat up, Atem taking Mana's hand and leading her away saying: "Sorry, guys, forgot something inside."

Tristan and Joey sat up. Joey folded his arms, "I told you this was a bad idea, Tristan."

Tristan just rolled his eyes. "Right, cause this was totally _not _your idea. Come on, dog boy, let's go eat."

"Eat?" Joey perked up, "What's for lunch?"

* * *

><p>Inside, as Atem entered, he met Yugi's eyes and they exchanged a short message. Yugi frowned at the mental message, his violet eyes concerned for his friend. His gaze tightened. He knew that Atem's senses were sharp. If he sensed something coming, he was sure he was right.<p>

He only hoped that this time, he was wrong.

As the day carried on, he and Atem trained.

"Don't let your guard fall, Yugi," Atem reminded him—again. Their swords clashed. No matter how hard he tried, Yugi couldn't seem to get through Atem's defenses. Right, left, thrust, overhand, undercut; no matter what he did, it never seemed to surprise Atem.

_Are you reading my thoughts?_

_Of course not._

Yugi grimaced. Even not reading his thoughts, Atem was good. Too good.

_Why are you so good? _Yugi thought irritably.

_I've been learning this ever since I was six, Yugi, _Atem grinned, _I've had lots and lots of practice._

Yugi sighed. _Do I have to practice that much to get as good as you?_

_I don't know,_ Atem replied, _It depends on how much you practice, how often, and how badly you want to get better._

Yugi had to agree that he was right. He usually was.

An hour later, he collapsed on to the ground—only to have Atem haul him back to his feet. "Stretches, Yugi," he scolded, "You don't want to be sore, do you?"

Yugi groaned. "I'm _tired!"_

"Suck it up, Yug," Joey grinned, and Mana chuckled.

Yugi scowled, "I'd like to see _you _go at Atem with a sword for an hour."

Joey held up his hands, "Naw, I'm good."

Mana was grinning. "He's done the same thing to me, Yugi," she said, "When I was training with him, he made me do stretches too. He just doesn't like to let his trainees get some rest."

Atem rolled his eyes, but he was smiling at his wife. Joey, Tristan and Tea glanced between them. "I can't believe you didn't tell us you were married," Tea said abruptly.

Atem blinked. "Well…"

"How did you…?" Mana said.

Yugi grimaced guiltily through his stretches. Atem threw him a look. "Sorry, Atem," Yugi smiled, "I didn't tell them originally. They saw you, ah, outside…" he looked around nervously, "And I knew I had to tell them. Mahad admitted it too."

Atem and Mana grinned.

"So?" Tristan urged, "When did it happen?"

Mana shrugged, "Six months ago."

"That long?" Joey asked, scratching his head.

They nodded, and Mana giggled. "Atem asked me before we had even kissed."

Tea's jaw dropped, "No way!"

Mana nodded enthusiastically, giggling again, "Way!"

Tea and Mana walked off, talking quietly. The boys rolled their eyes, and Mahad skirted out of their path. "Pharaoh," he said, "I sensed my spell break."

Atem stopped and he stood ramrod straight, closing his eyes. "When?"

Mahad cast his eyes away. "Last night."

The others gazes darted between them. "What spell?" Joey asked in confusion.

Yugi sighed. "The spell he put on the dungeon doors. Does that mean…?"

Atem nodded. "The dungeons have been breached. I dreamt about it last night. It seems my suspicions have been confirmed." Before they could ask, Atem relayed the dream to them bit by bit.

Mahad closed his eyes, "I can't believe we left Isis. I should have protected her."

Atem placed a comforting hand on his friend's arm, "We'll get her back, Mahad. You have my word."

"Thank you," Mahad said quietly.

Joey and Tristan looked between them. It was obvious that the Pharaoh and Mahad had a close relationship. It was natural, of course, considering they had known one anther for over five-thousand years. What exactly was Mahad? A brother? A best friend? They liked Mahad well enough, but they didn't know much about him.

Yugi and Atem's training continued without another word on the matter.

Atem wished he could hide his cartouche. It wasn't safe with him.

Later, when night came, Yugi was reminded of Atem's earlier message as he settled in to sleep.

_He's coming for me, Yugi, _Atem said,_ I can feel it._

* * *

><p><strong>Aaaand that's a chap! I'm tired guys :P Sorry this was more suspense building. You'll get some intensity and action next chap—I pinky-promise-cross-my-heart-and-hope-to-die swear.<strong>

**In the mean time… review!**

**-Anevay **


	24. Pharaohnapped

**Disclaimer: Sigh. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. What a sad thought.**

Author's note: well, here we are at yet another chapter… here we go then, since I have nothing to say and if I keep talking I'll just babble… oops…

You know the drill:

Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight, me, Aqua girl 007, fan person,** &** Khemet- Egyptian vampire!**

**Me**: yes, yes the suspense does kill ^O^ I believe that is the point! Hehe!

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: Yugioh-ed Robin Hood! Ooo I might take you up on that one… I'd have to find a way to make it work. Hm. I'm gonna chew on that one. Thanks for the idea!

* * *

><p><em>Pharaoh-napped<em>

Ryou mixed the hot chocolate for everyone before bed the next night, listening to the others converse in the dining room. He did enjoy hot chocolate. A lot like coffee, minus the caffine, he thought. He enjoyed his sleep nearly as much.

He stopped with a frown and glanced behind him. He could have sworn he had heard someone enter the kitchen. For a moment his eyes went blank, and then he smiled a very un-Ryou smile to himself and went back to mixing. He was almost smirking, brow drawn down.

He pulled the last ingredient from one of the cabinets, mixing it with another before adding it to all the drinks. "That should do it," said a voice that wasn't Ryou's, "Say goodnight, _Pharaoh_."

As he turned to administer the drugged drinks, something _inside _him froze him in place. _Stop it! _demanded little Ryou, _This is _my _body! GO AWAY, Bakura!_

Bakura scowled. _Leave me be, Ryou, my task is nearly complete._

_I won't let you!_

Ryou tugged on Bakura inwardly with all his might. He wouldn't let this evil hurt his friends. They would torture them all! He was the only one who could do anything.

Despite Ryou's efforts, Bakura managed to tug himself free, pushing away Ryou's continuing aggressive squirming. He set the tray at the table cheerfully, "Here we are."

The Egyptians and the gang attacked the mugs, downing them in mere minutes and nodding contentedly. _Fools,_ Bakura thought, _if only you knew._ He finished off his own mug, "Well, I'm off to bed, you guys, goodnight."

"'Night, Ryou!" they called, before returning to their previous conversations.

Up in Ryou's room, Bakura laughed. "Too late, Ryou. The Pharaoh's downfall is near!"

With that bold pronouncement, Bakura released control of the white-haired boy. _"No,"_ Ryou said. He fell to the ground in exhaustion as the drugs were hastened by the mind-switch. He hadn't been able to do anything. _Why can't I do anything right?_

* * *

><p>That night, the drugs took effect. They were knocked out cold. The only one aware of anything was Atem, who woke in the middle of the night as some sixth sense awakened him.<p>

"_Mahad, Mahad," _the Pharaoh groaned.

Mahad was unresponsive. Had they drugged him, too? What about Mana? And the others? Would they take _everyone?_

Hamon and several soldiers marched into the room.

_No, _Atem thought desperately. He reached for his cartouche, wrenching it free. As one of the soldiers leapt at him, he opened a portal and threw it.

"_No!"_ Hamon growled.

The portal snapped shut.

He seized Atem by the throat. "Where is it? _Where is it?"_

Atem didn't reply, a defiant gleam in his eye. Despite the hand at his throat, he spat on Hamon's face.

Slowly, Hamon wiped it away. "What will it take to get you to tell me where that _Ra-damned key is?"_

The Pharaoh smirked. He answered groggily, "Leave the others. Take me and leave the others, and I'll tell you."

Hamon let his expression fall blank. He dropped the king. "Tie him up. We take him and only him. Forget the others. I can always hunt them down later, anyway." He cast a regretful look towards Mahad, and then Mana, snarling at the bleary and yet still rebellious-eyed King.

With that, he marched away, at which the Pharaoh promptly passed out.

* * *

><p>Everything was dark. Atem tried to open his eyes, but something was holding them shut. He tried to squirm, but something hard and blunt smacked him upside the head, so he stopped moving to avoid further harm.<p>

Not only did his eyes seem to be glued shut, but something was clamped over and inside his mouth. His ankles and wrists were tied. His wrists were fixed behind his back and his ankles were tied _to _something. He was bumping around, slumped on his stomach over something. Someone's shoulder?

Vaguely, he heard voices talking. They seemed to be at a normal tone, but he couldn't hear them clearly. Maybe his ears were covered too.

These things seemed to be happening in another part of his mind. Was he dreaming?

No, he was quite sure this was real. Maybe he was partially unconscious, or drugged, or worse. When had this happened? One minute, he had been lying peacefully beside Mana and then…

Nothing.

Maybe he _was _dreaming.

Was he?

He just wasn't sure. Things seemed to have a dreamlike quality, but they also felt very realistic, in an oddly surreal way. Dream, or not a dream? Had he really been kidnapped?

If so, he had to find a way to escape. Unfortunately, with his mouth gagged, eyes covered, ears plugged, hands and ankles tied and himself drugged… he probably wasn't going to get anywhere.

Would they torture him? Hurt him?

As the Pharaoh was tossed unceremoniously to the ground, whatever was around his ears came loose on one end. He could hear Hamon talking, his voice moving closer, and it all came flooding back.

Atem groaned through the gag. Now he remembered. He had thrown his cartouche into another dimension—one that was hard to reach and navigate. Hamon wanted the location. As far as Atem knew, the others were safe.

That alone was a huge relief.

_He_ was the one he should be worried about now.

Someone kicked him on to his back. The blindfold and gag were removed, leaving his hearing, sight and mouth free. He peered up at Hamon, "I suppose your sorcerer gave you bodies? Or something akin to it?"

Hamon sneered. "He is a mighty Sorcerer. Mightier than your _Magician._"

_No spellcaster is greater than my Magician, _Atem thought. He changed the subject. "How did you get through the veil?"

"My Sorcerer, of course," Hamon replied, bending down, "He was able to make me a key of my own. It only forges a door between the dead and the living, and only for minutes at a time before it has to recharge, but it is enough."

Now Atem sneered. "And you call him mightier than my Magician? My Magician was the one who made my key."

Hamon scowled. "Quiet, Pharaoh, you're our prisoner. We are the ones making the rules, not you."

"That may be," Atem agreed, "But I'm a prisoner with an important secret. Do anything to me or them and I could clam up completely." Again Hamon scowled darkly, knowing that he was right and hating it. Atem continued, "Just a few more questions. What did you do to us?"

"You were drugged, of course."

"I mean 'how,' Hamon."

"The Thief King took momentary control of his old host before he fought back. It was long enough to drug your drinks and assure that little Ryou wasn't a problem."

Atem ground his teeth together angrily. Poor Ryou. He had already been through so much, dealing with Bakura's crap. Why hadn't Atem noticed anything was wrong?

Bakura was good.

He must have drugged Ryou as well. The effort Ryou had taken to fight him may have hastened the knock out drug.

"What did you do to my Guardians? My parents? Shimon?" he tried not to show his desperation, going for defiant instead.

"Those monkeys?" Hamon mused. "Oh, they're fine. Except for Seto."

"_What did you do to him?"_

Hamon met his glare evenly. "Took his soul. He was being an unbearable pain. Three Guardians down, three to go."

Atem could barely contain his fury. Seto's soul…

"Priest Seto's little _blue-eyed _girlfriend will probably be next," Hamon continued, "She's put up quite a fight with that dragon of hers. If we can take her soul and keep the dragon, it will be all the better. As for you father, I have special plans for he and you as soon as I get what I want from you. In fact, I might deliver your father to Bakura sooner than I planned."

The Pharaoh's very frame shook with rage. He was quickly overcoming the drug that had previously had him exhausted. Before long, the bonds holding his wrists and ankles could be broken. However, if he used the energy of Horus inside him… he could burn up and return to the Afterlife.

For now he could afford to bide his time and wait to see if the others would find him. He was betting that Mahad would find him first, if anyone.

He thought over his situation, forcing himself to relax. Hamon would want the location of his cartouche, and he would have to tell him. The Pharaoh was a man of his word. If he stayed with Hamon, assuming he didn't take his soul as soon as he told him, he would have a way in to the Afterlife. Without his cartouche, he had no actual way back—other than the fact that in a few hours he would probably return there anyway, without his cartouche…

He didn't have a lot of options. He had one chance.

Atem took in his surroundings. He was in the sewers, perhaps, due to the stench. The place was lit by torches Hamon and his soldiers carried with them. They seemed to be in a section where no water flowed. There were plenty of pipes. It was a single hallway. If they were still in Domino or somewhere else, he couldn't tell. Heck, he couldn't even tell what time it was.

Hamon was watching him carefully. He was smiling with pleasure at the Pharaoh's anger. Atem's expression dulled and he allowed himself a small glare. Hamon tilted his head, "So, since your _friends _are safe, how about the location of that key?"

At Hamon's words, Atem smiled. They were just the words Hamon needed to say in order for the Pharaoh to execute his plan.

"How do I know my friends are safe?" Atem asked, his tied hands spreading as much as they could in a questioning manner behind him. "I don't. And you have no proof." Hamon's face fell expressionless. He waited, and Atem smiled. "I'll show you where it's hidden, if you allow me to come with you. I'll show you step by step. Your _sorcerer _can place a truth spell on me, if he can manage it. That way you'll know if I'm lying."

Hamon looked him up and down. "Fine," he said finally, rising, "We leave now."

The Pharaoh tried not to allow his pleasure show as they untied his ankles. He had found himself a way back to his cartouche. Now it was up to Yugi, Mana and Mahad to find him.

* * *

><p><strong>I can't do this any other way! Don't curse me to the Shadow Realm because it's a cliffhanger and sort of short. Technically it's only a half cliffhanger.<strong>

**Since none of my excuses will satisfy you, let's just end this.**

**Review! ^o^ **

**-Anevay**


	25. The Plan

**Disclaimer: so, no, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, in case anyone was confused.**

Author's note: I know I said I'd do two updates last time, and (hoping you would have forgotten) I didn't. I've been super busy lately :P anyway… sorry again… here we go.

Thanks/responses/whatever:

Reviewers: **princess atemma(x2), fan person, me, The Trio of Twilight, fanficfan (thanks!), Khemet- Egyptian vampire,**

**Princess atemma**: I'm getting to that X) if you've been paying attention, you have noticed that Mahad had a gold ring on his left ring-finger… as for Seto and Kisara, obviously they'll be married before long. Also, meaning of the Return of the Pharaoh—basically it's his return to saving the world and the World of the Living…

**Fan person**: hahah 'the pharaoh has his ways.' It's true! It's true.

**Me**: Many people have wanted to strangle me X) (including my sister) it's nothing new!

**The Trio of Twilight**: thank you! :D I'm working on a few other ideas for Yugioh stories, actually—been nursing some thoughts. Crossovers. One-shots. Boredom Games 2. You know. This story won't be the last of me!

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: Oh, I hate that :/ I'll check it out and see what I can do to help.

And last but not least, thanks to **Amara Nyx **for adding this to story alert subscription! That's it. Let's move on, shall we?

* * *

><p><em>T<em>_he Plan_

Mana's eyes snapped open.

Something was wrong, she was sure of it.

She sat up ramrod straight and examined the room. Both Mahad and Atem were gone. Their day clothes remained in the same place they had been the night before. Mahad's bedcovers were askew, nearly thrown off the bed. Atem's dragged on the floor, as if he had fallen or been pulled from them.

Alarm bells rang in her head. Where were they?

As her hearing reasserted itself, she heard someone outside the door, running around the house. Her wand materialized in her hand, but before she could do anything someone burst into the room in a flurry of panic.

"Mahad?" she questioned, her voice pitching. He looked wild. His gray eyes showed nothing but dread. His hair was unruly and he wasn't even wearing a shirt—only his night trousers. His chest rose up and down heavily and he was shaking.

"He's gone," he croaked.

Mana's breathing came shallowly, fearing the worst. "Who's gone?"

"The Pharaoh," choked Mahad, "They took him."

Mana's resolve snapped. She jumped from the bed in horror, "Who took him? Mahad, _who took him?"_

Mahad shook his head, "I-I do not know. Hamon, by the looks of it. Who else would take him?"

Mana began shaking like Mahad was. She tried to stop it, closing her eyes. Atem was gone. They had taken him. "No," she muttered, "He can't…"

Mahad closed his eyes angrily, "He is. I checked the entire house and beyond for the last hour."

"Then we've got to find him!" she cried, "Where are the others?"

"Still asleep," he said, eyes still closed, "I think we were drugged. If I had not been…" he growled angrily, leaving the sentence unfinished and pounding his fist on the wall, where it left an imprint. "If I had only heard him, I could have helped him. Saved him. I have failed my King."

Mana had never seen Mahad like this. He was almost _broken._

His gray eyes flashed open, and when he looked up, they were as steel. Hard and determined. "I must find him. It is my duty. He is my King and friend and I…" he snarled angrily again, "I pledged my loyalty to him! I _must _find him."

"We'll find him," Mana said, shaking, "We have to. Why didn't they take us, too?"

"The Pharaoh," Mahad said, glaring at his fist, "He must have made a deal with them."

Mana's aquamarine eyes slid closed. It was definitely like Atem to do that. He would do anything for their safety: hers, Mahad's, Yugi's, Tea's, Tristan's, Joey's, Ryou's… he would give himself up for them.

"We must wake the others," Mana said quietly, "We _have _to find him."

Mahad didn't need telling twice. He turned on his heel and marched down the hall to wake the others.

Alone now, Mana sank to the ground and wrapped her arms around her legs in a fetal position. The tears she had held in now flowed freely, and a small sob escaped her lips. Hastily, as she heard the others waking, she wiped the tears away, pushing herself back to her feet. It was time to save Atem.

* * *

><p>When Yugi heard the news, he almost fell over.<p>

Yugi's insides dropped. "What do you mean, he's gone?"

Mahad's eyes were hard as he responded: "Hamon took him. Now we must find him." He exited the room at a brisk march. It was obvious he was upset. Yugi quickly followed, barely hearing the panicked babble of his friends as they too heard the awful news.

Not Atem. He always had all the awful things happening to him.

_Yugi._

Yugi stopped, eyes wide. _ATEM! Where are you? Are you alright? Did Hamon take you? Are you hurt? Ra, I'm just glad that our mind link still works!_

_Yugi! Calm down. Yes, relax, I'm alright. Hamon tried to take all of us last night. I bargained with him after I threw my cartouche in to the Afterlife so that he couldn't take it. I told him that if he took me and left you, I would tell him where it was._

_Atem! Why did you do that? Did you tell him?_

_It was the only way, Yugi. I couldn't let him take all of us. No, I haven't told him yet. I managed to convince him to let me show him where it is instead. This way I have a way back to it, but I'm going to need your help to escape. I can get off on my own just fine now, but I need my cartouche so I'm going with him. When we enter the Afterlife in an hour, there will be more soldiers guarding me. I won't be able to escape anymore, which means I'm going to need you, Mana, and Mahad to find me. Bring the others if they want to come, since they probably will. Mahad will need to time this right. Get the others attention and I'll relay the instructions._

_You got it. Are you okay, Atem? Really?_

_Yes, Yugi, I'm fine._

_Promise?_

_Promise. Other than the occasional dirty look and a prod or two with their sticks, I'm pretty much left alone._

_Good. I mean, the prodding must be annoying but…never mind. Just a sec._

Yugi ran after Mahad and the others, calling, "Guys! The mind-link!"

They spun around at the stairs, and Mana's head popped out of the room. "Can you contact him?" she asked quickly.

Yugi nodded, "He's waiting for me to tell you his plans right now."

"Go on, Yugi," Mahad urged. They waited with rapt attention.

_Ready, Atem._

_The portal opens in an hour. It will remain open for ten minutes. It will open in the sewers, in a remote area. I'm leaving a torn piece of my kilt near it so Mahad can still find it. He'll know what to do from there. One hour, Yugi. After that it becomes unstable and the connection breaks._

Yugi told them, and Mahad frowned. "A portal? Do they have his key? The key's portals are stable."

"No," Yugi said, "Atem threw it into a portal before Hamon could take it, and that's how he managed to get us off the hook. He told Hamon that he would tell him where the key was if he left us and took him. Now Atem convinced him to let him show him where the key is instead. Hamon's sorcerer made him a key of his own, but it's unstable."

"How did he manage to convince him?" Joey wondered, scratching his chin.

Yugi asked. "Hey says that he reminded Hamon that he didn't know if we were safe."

"And that convinced him?" Tristan asked, "The Pharaoh is one smart guy."

"Why is he showing them?" Tea wondered.

"Atem needs his cartouche," Mana said, eyes far away, "Without it he would return to the Afterlife or burn up. This way, he not only has a way to his cartouche, but he can keep an eye on Hamon."

Mahad nodded, watching his old apprentice carefully. "Yes, the Pharaoh's plan is good. Now we must do our part."

"How were we drugged?" Joey frowned, "Mahad said we were drugged."

"That's my fault," interrupted Ryou guiltily, who until now had been silent. "Bakura took control and drugged the drinks. I passed out after he left. I'm sorry…"

"It's not your fault," Yugi said reassuringly. Of course it had been Bakura—poor Ryou. "Don't worry about it. We'll get Bakura back for this."

Ryou remained silent. Yugi closed his eyes, listening to Atem. He nodded. "Atem says we have to move fast. We don't have a lot of time."

Mana looked at Yugi with pleading eyes. "Is he okay?"

Yugi nodded with a smile, "Atem is fine, Mana. He promised me himself. He says not to worry about him, and he'll see you soon."

Mana nodded, closing her eyes in relief. They all hurried downstairs, gathering snacks and talking quietly. Well, other than the occasional shout over snacks from Tristan and Joey.

Yugi set his hand on Mana's arm as she hung a bag around her shoulders. "Mana, Atem wants me to tell you 'forever.'"

Mana's eyes grew misty and she smiled. She remembered their conversation the night he asked her to marry him.

"_Atem, is it really possible, for me to have you forever?"_

"_Mana, my love, you can have me for as you could possibly want."_

"_So, forever?"_

Then, on the night they had been married, he had answered her question.

He had told her: _Forever._

Mana nodded with a contented sigh, patting his hand, "Thank you, Yugi."

* * *

><p>It took Mahad just over fifteen minutes to find the Pharaoh.<p>

Yugi, Mahad and Mana all changed and gathered the appropriate supplies. Five minutes to the hour, they prepared to go.

"He is in a 'sewer' system, as you said," he nodded, "We must go. Now. There is no time to waste."

Mahad and Mana stood side by side before them. "Yugi," Mahad said, "The Pharaoh has a job for you. We need you with us. But your friends…" he nodded at them.

Yugi nodded. "I know." The gang looked to him questioningly, so Yugi elaborated: "Mahad and Mana need me as a translator, so they can stay in contact with Atem. But you guys have another job."

"_What?"_ they protested.

Yugi soothed them hastily. "Guys, we don't have time for this. All of us together would be conspicuous. We would be too big a group. It only makes sense for us to split up. Atem needs you guys to watch Domino. He thinks something bad is going to happen, and you'll be of more use here. You'll be safer." When they protested again, Yugi shook his head violently: "Guys, Atem needs me! I have to go. You'll be better off here. Please? For me?"

They stopped. Ryou nodded before the others, "I should stay here, but I shouldn't be with them. If Bakura tries to take over again…"

"Naw, Ryou," Joey disagreed, "We need you with us."

Ryou sighed when Tristan and Tea nodded in agreement. Tea met Yugi's eyes. He had changed back in to his Egyptian clothes: the black tunic and headdress and all the uncomfortable gold. Mahad and Mana wore their Egyptian garb as well.

"Come back, Yugi, okay?" Tea said, and she leaned in to kiss his cheek.

Yugi blushed and grinned, "I will, Téa."

"Good," she smiled.

Joey, Tristan, Tea and Ryou backed up. Mahad, Mana and Yugi stood in the center of the room, and the Magicians raised their staffs. Yugi waved one last time before they were gone, and he felt like he was being squished through a tube, flying through the air.

Yugi sucked in air when they landed in the sewers. He knew it was the sewers because it reeked. Glancing around, he found the portal Atem had been talking about, and beside it, right next to the wall, was a small white cloth. It was maddening to think that Atem had been here only minutes before.

"Ready?" Mana asked in a squeak.

Yugi and Mahad nodded. Together, they stepped through the unsteady portal.

It was just like walking through a door. On the opposite side, they were in a dense jungle. Was this where Atem had hidden his cartouche?

Behind them, the portal snapped shut. All they could hear was the squawk of birds and the noises of animals, a tree snap here and a predator snarl there.

"Let's go," Yugi said quietly, and the three fell into step beside one another.

_We're in,_ Yugi thought to Atem.

_Excellent,_ Atem's baritone came to him.

In the jungle noises, Yugi felt Atem's presence in his head, and he was reassured by that. The three fought through the forest growth, roughly following a path made previously. Mahad said it was Hamon's trail because he could sense the Pharaoh.

After minutes of fighting through the jungle, Atem's voice came to him again, this time thoughtful and almost playful—maybe just a bit.

_So… you and Tèa?_

* * *

><p><strong>Well, there's a longer update for ya. Hope you liked it. There's quite a bit of info in there<strong>

**Anyway, it's like one in the morning so… yeah, I'm going to bed. Goodnight, FFnet and I will see you tomorrow.**

**Well, not see… more like… oh, never mind.**

**Review! ^O^**

**-Anevay**


	26. Tastan

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh… do, _I_, Anevay, own it… hm. No.**

Author's note: alrighty, peoples, NOTE RIGHT HERE! Read what I write at the end of this chap.

Tsuki: Seriously, read it. X)

Thanks/responses:

Reviewers: **Chistarpax, fan person, Khemet- Egyptian vampire, Doragon-chan,** **princess atemma ** ** me.**

**Chistarpax**: Thank you! ^O^ that means a lot!

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: you are welcome, and thank _you. _If you come up with ideas, I would love to hear them! I'm already sort of creating little ideas in my head, so you definitely got me interested. Robin Hood is one of my favorite Disney's (the real just can't compare), so that alone had my attention! I _love, love _(times infinity) vaseshipping. X) I might just start Yugioh-ing movies at random… see where it goes from there.

**Princess atemma**: darling, calm! ^-^ I can't reveal _everything_. I'll get to it. Don't worry.

Special thanks to **Princess Aaliyah**, who added both The Afterlife and this story to their favorites, along with added this to their story alerts! ^o^ sometimes that means more than a review, and I do enjoy my reviews.

More special thanks also to **Chistarpax**, who added this to their favorites as promised! Along with favoriting me as an author _and _reviewing! Thanks!

And last to **pharaohsgrl**, who favorited The Afterlife and may get on to this story afterwards.

Well, here we go… huzzah? I hope so.

* * *

><p><em>Tastan<em>

The clink of chains and the squawking of those Set-forsaken birds was annoying Atem intensely.

He sighed, earning a sharp crack of 'the stick' across his bare back. He still wore no shirt and no shoes. Talk about bad hospitality.

He had been positioned between two guards, each holding chains. The soldier behind him held a chain attached to the link around his neck. The soldier in front of him held onto the ones that were affixed to his waist. Looking on the bright side, at least his feet and hands were free.

Speaking to Yugi through the mind link, he knew that they shouldn't be far behind. Now he had to tell them the most difficult part of the job.

_Yugi,_ he thought.

_Everything okay up there, Atem?_

_Fine, _Atem said, _I have the next part of the plan. Stop where you are._ He could sense Yugi's apprehension as he obeyed the order. _Alright, Yugi, I need you to listen carefully. My cartouche is—_

He grunted in pain the soldier behind him snapped the stick across his lower back.

Miles back, Yugi felt the same pain and grasped. _Atem, what happened? Did they hurt you?_

Atem took a deep breath, biting back a retort. That was how they wanted him to react. He kept his feet marching one after the other, ignoring the soldier's dark sniggering. _I'm alright, Yugi, _he lied. _My cartouche is in the marshlands far north of here. It should have been picked up by a friend there—an Anasazi King by the name of Tastan. He should have it and be able to help you. When you get it, I'll still be with Hamon, weaving my way there. You're going to need to break me out. Hamon has sent for backup, so it will be more difficult than you think._

Yugi sighed. _Okay, Atem, _he said reluctantly, _If you can get away at any point, let me know._

_I will. Be careful. It should take you the good part of two days to get there on foot; a day if you fly by night. We'll reach the edge the a day after you, if you fly. By then, Hamon will be suspicious and call for more soldiers. I'll get away if I can._

_I don't like it. Can't we bust you out now?_

_I'm keeping Hamon distracted, Yugi. That allows you to reach Tastan's kingdom safely. Take a direct route and keep out of sight of others. Mahad should know the way._

_Alright. I'm right here to talk to if you want._

Atem grinned to himself, but hastily wiped it off his face as he remembered the soldiers. _Tell Mana and Mahad, and maybe we'll play a game._

_Really?_

Yugi sounded rather excited, and again, Atem had to grin at the idea of Yugi smiling to himself. He felt Yugi disconnect slightly as he told the Magicians the rest of the plan.

And so, miles behind, Yugi and the Magicians were contemplating their movements.

"We need to arch around," Mana was saying, her tongue protruding out the side of her mouth. "When we get to Tastan's kingdom, I'll wait on the outskirts for Atem. I can camouflage myself and get him out of there."

Mahad frowned, "Mana…"

She shook her head, "I'm his bodyguard, Mahad. And it's not just that—if they want Atem, they're going to have to go through me first. I'm going to get him out of this."

Mahad nodded without further argument, "Very well. Yugi and I can get the cartouche and gather sufficient forces." He looked at Yugi for confirmation, who quickly nodded. "Later that day is when you, Mana, will near the border for the Pharaoh. You will get him out safely and quickly and meet up with us when possible."

Mana nodded, "I've got it, Mahad."

"The Pharaoh is not an 'it,' Mana."

"Right," Mana rolled her eyes, "Got _him_, _Master _Mahad."

Yugi grinned. It was quite entertaining when Mahad made a joke, considering he never did. Yugi had noticed that he only did so around Atem and Mana, which was natural, considering they were all close friends. But at the same time, Yugi always felt included.

"We must move now," Mahad said, leading the way. "We fly by night."

* * *

><p>They took the rest of the day's journey on foot, and to pass the hours, Atem, Yugi and Mana would play a game.<p>

At first, it began with Atem and Yugi, but as Mana noticed Yugi's continual concentration and occasional laugh, she asked what he was doing and just had to join in. It was a game she and Atem used to play all the time: How Dare You.

It began simply enough.

_How dare you ask to play a game, _Atem began.

_How dare you agree to play!_

_How dare you make me suggest _this _game!_

_How dare you suggest it at all!_

_How dare you accuse me of suggesting it!_

_How dare you forget to mention this game before!_

_How dare you assume I remembered!_

_How dare you try to use that on me!_

It continued with continually clever "How Dare You"'s from each player. And as Yugi finally let a laugh slip, Mana and Mahad looked at him curiously. "What's so funny?" Mana asked.

Yugi tried to suppress a grin and failed. "Just playing a game."

"With who?" Mana wondered, turning to walk backwards.

"Mana, don't walk backwards, you'll trip," Mahad scolded. Mana ignored him.

"Atem," Yugi said with a grin, "We're talking through the mind link, playing a game."

_How dare you take so long to answer!_

_How dare you interrupt my conversation with your wife!_

_How dare you assume that she won't understand!_

"What game?" Mana said.

"A game called How Dare you," Yugi said off-handedly, replying inwardly: _How dare you put a game before Mana!_

Mana's eyes sparkled. "Atem and I used to play that all the time! We made it up when we were kids! Can I play?"

Mahad sighed. It was going to be a long trip. He had endured some of Mana and the Pharaoh's How Dare You games; he had learned to avoid them.

Yugi nodded and began to speak both his and Atem's How Dare You's aloud. He spoke Atem's reply: "How dare you think this game is more important than Mana!"

Mana grinned. "How dare you include me in your game!"

Yugi then told Atem Mana's reply and made his own. "How dare we include her in this game without her knowledge!"

_How dare you not inform me that she was playing!_

"How dare you talk about me as if I'm not here!" Mana giggled in delight.

"How dare you not accept her in the game!"

_How dare _you _assume I didn't accept her!_

Mana continued to walk backwards, "How dare you still talk about me like I'm not playing!"

"How dare you not make yourself clearer!" Yugi grinned.

_How dare you be both be good at games!_

"How dare you not remember that I was the one who made this up!"

"How dare you teach me how to play games!"

_How dare you team up on me!_

They laughed hysterically, and Mana managed: "How dare you not think ahead!"

"How dare you give me the title King of Games!"

_How dare you accuse me of getting behind!_

"How dare you get behind at all!"

"How dare you suggest this game!"

_How dare you come back to that subject!_

The game went on all afternoon, until Mahad quieted them as night fell so that they could be more conspicuous. At that point, Atem drifted off to sleep, wherever he was. As that was happening, Mahad and Mana combined with their Ka's, Yugi in Mahad's arms, and took flight.

They flew all night. They got to the point where they could see the borders just a day's walk away. For a few hours in the morning, Mana and Mahad slept while Yugi kept guard with his hand on his sword, having slept all night.

The game of How Dare You was brought up again around noon, and they played it until they reached the border, when Atem agreed that it was best to cut off all connections momentarily. Mahad glanced behind them, casting a spell. He nodded, "They're a way's off. I think we can afford to fly low."

Again they transformed, flying low over the marshlands and saving tons of time and muck-walking. Anasazi soldiers appeared at the only area of hard ground inside the marshlands. They eyed the visitors cautiously, allowing them to land when they held up their hands.

Mahad and Mana turned back to themselves, and the three stood before the handful of soldiers. "We are here to speak to your king," Mahad said clearly, "King Tastan. We are Court Members of the High King, Pharaoh Atem. He is holding something for his highness. We have come to retrieve it and ask for help." He then took a single step forward with his left foot, "Please, we mean you no harm."

Looking at one another, the soldiers nodded and several branched off. The king's party waited for several minutes before the soldiers returned, ushering them in.

They followed them for some time; through villages where the houses were small and yet still comfortable and reliable. The streets were surprisingly well-kept, for a swamp, and there was hardly a bad smell.

Near the center, they were greeted by a huge temple-like palace.

It was made of grey stone, tall and pyramid-like in structure, with many smaller buildings surrounding it. Through the stone front doors emerged a dark skinned man with dropping eyes, smile lines and a deeply wise face, dressed in the clothes of the Anasazi.

"Mahad, Mana, Sacred Guardians and Priests of the Pharaoh, and their friend," he greeted in a deep voice, bowing his head, "Welcome to my home. We are ready to assist you."

* * *

><p><strong>So… tired… I'm out, guys. I'm not totally sure how this turned out, considering I'm sort of half asleep…<strong>

**So! At the top I told you to read this. Please do. It concerns reviews.**

***I love to converse with my reviewers, but it's also _great_ to hear WHAT you like about the story and WHY. Please, let's keep the information inside the reviews to things pertaining to the story. I'd love some feedback and ConCrit. I love to talk to you guys, but a review is a review on the story. Let's keep it that way! Thanks.**

**Tsuki: Sleep tight, little writer, don't let the… dragons… mushrooms… marshmallows… bite! (That goes for the rest of you, too)**

**Hikari: Dragons, mushrooms and marshmallows? What does that have to do with anything?**

**Tsuki: HIKARI!**

**Hikari: TSUKI!**

**(both embrace)**

**Well… that was… weird… um, review please!**

**-Anevay**


	27. War in two realms: siege and escape

**Disclaimer: I've been expecting this. Answer: no.**

Author's note: so… here we are… at another chapter… let's do this! First, I want to apologize for all the cliffhangers. There really is no other way I can do it for now. I try not to leave you hanging too much, honestly, but a good story has to leave something hanging at each chapter. Thanks/responses, slash, slash, slash:

Reviewers: **Khemet- Egyptian vampire, fan person, Aqua girl 007, The Trio of Twilight(x2), jak dragon, **& **littlekuribohlover.**

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: Ah, I see what you're getting at. Let's see, if I'm going to base this off Robin Hood… let me watch it and make some notes. I'm definitely interested in this one. The thing with Robin Hood is that Robin Hood himself is a love-struck man, so I'll have to change Atem up a bit so he's more love-struck… hm. This could be difficult. There's also the 'Robin Hood' name… I'll have to think of something. I don't really intend to use Yami. I hardly ever call him Yami, but I'll have to come up with some sort of name for the story… sigh. I'll let you know what I come up with.

**fan person**: I'll play! *o* How dare Atem lose!

**The Trio of Twilight**: just for you, I'm including a part with the gang at the beginning here. Something tells me this will be a _long _update.

**Jak dragon**: interesting idea. I'll chew on that.

**Littlekuribohlover**: don't worry about Yugi. I'm getting to it ;)

For favoriting/alerting me/story/whatever: **Cometflight525, cpakid,** and** kaya croft!**

Aaaand here we go…

Tsuki: Begin typing… _now!_

* * *

><p><em>War in two realms: escape and siege<em>

_Part 1: The siege of the Living World_

The gang sat around Joey's place that night, sipping sodas and watching the news on mute. Tea grumbled something under her breath, drawing the rest of the gang's attention.

"What's up, Tea?" Joey asked.

Tea sighed. "I'm wondering what's going on with Yugi and the Pharaoh. I guess I'm just worried." Tea couldn't confess most her deep-seeded concern: Yugi. He had promised he would come back.

"Tell me about it," Tristan agreed, "It's driving me nuts. Why couldn't we have gone?"

"Tristan, you know why we had to stay here," said Ryou, "The Pharaoh needs us here in case anything goes wrong."

"Yeah," Tristan said halfheartedly, "But honestly, what's going to happen here?"

That was when the screaming started.

"Guess ya spoke too soon," Joey said, getting to his feet and hurrying outside.

They ran along the streets towards the screaming. Which was probably stupid, but it was what they did when saving the world—kind of like a habit. They skidded to a stop in the main square, staring up at the monitors on the buildings. They each showed the same thing: a man with white hair wearing a black robe and green skirt-thing with a huge army behind him, wearing black and each bearing a duel disk.

"Bakura!" they exclaimed.

"Oh, no," Ryou muttered, staring in horror at the evil that had once claimed him.

"Where is this happenin'?" Joey wondered.

They watched as a news reporter, staring in horror and slowly backing away, spoke hurriedly: _"We're not sure what's going on down here at Kaiba Corp., but it can't be good! The police are on their way…"_

Without warning, Ryou took off. "Hey, Ryou!" Tristan called after him, and the rest of the gang followed close behind. "Slow down! Wait for us!"

Ryou didn't slow down, but the gang caught up with him anyway. They stopped running upon reaching the Kaiba Corporation building. People were running away from it, screaming in horror at seeing the strange army emerge from the partially demolished skyscraper.

Bakura smirked and held out his arms as if to embrace them, "Well, if it isn't little Ryou and his friends! How nice of you to join the party."

"How did you get here?" Tea demanded.

Bakura's smirk remained, "There are other ways out of the Afterlife, girl, and there are those of us who know about them; _have _known about them for centuries! It's very useful information. I'm a thief," he shrugged mockingly, "I deal in information and secrets."

Light from above illuminated the scene. Looking up, they say a KC helicopter hovering above them. A voice from the copter sounded loudly, coming from a bullhorn: "Those duel disk are Kaiba Corporation property! Drop them now before I come down there and make you."

Bakura chuckled, waving at the loud chopper: "Look who's decided to make an appearance: Seto Kaiba! I was wondering when you would show up. I believe these are yours?" he gestured behind him. "Or should I say _were _yours?"

Kaiba scowled to himself. Not this nutcase again. "Bakura! What do you want?"

"What I have already stolen," Bakura smiled, "Your duel disks and _several_ decks of valuable cards. They come in handy during a war of souls, wouldn't you say?"

"Stop talking nonsense, you nut job! I have nothing to say to you other than you had better drop those duel disks, or you're going to regret it."

Again, Bakura cackled. "Some things never change."

He and his army marched forward, duel arms extended and hard sneers or looks of deep seriousness on their faces. Above, Kaiba snorted. "That's it," he said, dropping the bullhorn, "I'm going down there to see what's going on." He dropped the ladder and climbed down as the chopper dropped, bringing him to the ground.

Joey panicked. "They're coming!" he said nervously, "We should just run now!"

"Joey!" Tea hissed.

"Actually, I'm with Joey on this one, Tea," Tristan agreed, grabbing Joey so they were embracing rather strangely. "We should run now and save ourselves!"

Tea smacked them, muttering, "Idiots." But in all honesty, Joey _did _have a point. What were they supposed to do against an army and one of the Pharaoh's greatest enemies _combined?_

Kaiba, the hot-headed moron, stepped right in front of the approaching army. "Why don't you and I duel, Bakura?" he asked calmly, "After all, I believe you walked out on our duel last time."

Bakura smirked and held out his arm. The men behind him stopped. "Very well, Kaiba, but this time we duel my way."

"And what would 'your way,' be?" Kaiba asked dryly.

"We each pick a single monster," Bakura explained, "Whichever wins the battle, wins the duel. It saves so much time, don't you think?"

"Fine," Kaiba agreed easily. His duel disk activated and he held up his choice card, "Pick your card, psycho."

Bakura held up his diadhank thoughtfully. "Let me think, what monster should I choose…" he sneered, "I bet I can guess your creature: the Blue Eyes White Dragon, correct?"

Kaiba smiled uninterestedly. "Wow," he said with dry sarcasm, "You must be psychic."

Bakura's eyes narrowed, "You never change, Kaiba. I thought you finally believed in 'magic'? What happened to that?"

"Just get on with it so we can duel and I can kick you into next week."

"I'm just trying to make friendly conversation," Bakura shrugged innocently. "But if you insist…." he paused for dramatic affect, _"Diabound, come forth!"_

The gang watched as Diabound appeared. Joey and Tristan shivered in unison. "I hate that thing!" Joey cried.

"Ditto!" yelled Tristan.

Kaiba was… unimpressed.

"That thing again?" he said.

"If I recall properly, Kaiba, my Diabound defeated your Blue Eyes in our last duel."

"Barely. This time my dragon is stronger. Besides," he said, "That duel didn't count, since you left." Kaiba set three cards down on his duel disk, smirking, "Now prepare to meet _my _beast! Feast on his mighty strength: _Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"_

He flung his arm upward, laughing manically as Blue Eyes Ultimate emerged slowly in a flare of bright light, emitting a roar. Bakura shielded his eyes, growling. Not _this _one. Oh well—he would defeat it nonetheless.

Tristan and Joey had released each other hastily upon realizing what they were doing. "Leave it to Kaiba to make everything dramatic," Joey muttered darkly. The other grunted in consent, murmuring about Kaiba being a show off—what a jerk.

Bakura chuckled. "Your dragon may be strong, but he is no match for my beast. Diabound, helical shock wave!"

"Ultimate Dragon, _neutron blast!"_

The attacks collided, pure light against pure darkness—for though Bakura's creature had once been light, it had long been corrupted by the darkness of Zorc, deep in Bakura's heart; ever retained. The attacks went through, and each monster was hit, causing the masters to clutch at various points in pain.

"Diabound," Bakura snapped breathily, holding his chest, "Again!"

"Go Ultimate Dragon!" Kaiba called, quickly recovering from the attack after wincing painfully. He slapped down another card, "Burst beam of destruction!"

"What?" Bakura snarled.

Ultimate Dragon's three heads mouths began to tremble with energy, gathering the crackling lightning into three vicious spheres. "Burst beam of destruction allows my Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon to destroy all monsters on the other side of the field," Kaiba explained with a slight, triumphant smile, "See ya round, Diabound."

All three heads of the Ultimate Blue Eyes snapped forward, letting free the flying spheres of energy. It was music to Kaiba's ears, complimented only by his laughter.

Bakura swept his hand angrily across the air, "Diabound, disappear!"

The three attacks hit one after the other, square in Diabound's chest—or so Kaiba thought. When the dust cleared, he found that Diabound, Bakura and his men had all vanished.

Kaiba's hands balled in to fists. "Coward!" he cried to the sky.

The gang ran up to him. "Hey, nice job, rich boy!" Joey congratulated. The others nodded.

"Oh, great, the geek squad. Where's Yugi?"

Joey scowled. Tristan folded his arms, "Why do you care?"

Kaiba shrugged, "I don't. Isn't he usually the head of you cheerleaders?"

Joey growled, slowly growing angrier and angrier, just like every time Kaiba was around. "Hey, you know what, that's none of your business!" he bellowed, shaking a fist in Kaiba's face. He stepped closer, ready to fight, but Tea, Tristan and Ryou held him back.

"Wrong fight, man," Tristan grumbled.

"Yeah, Wheeler, go back to the kennel and learn how to fight, underdog," Kaiba said, turning away dismissively. "As far as I'm concerned, this was some freak attack. I will get my hands on Bakura, and when I do, he's going to pay."

He walked away, back to his company, where police were inspecting the damage.

Joey folded his arms moodily, "Jerk."

They let go of him, and Tristan mimed Joey, "I don't like the guy any more than you do."

"Yeah," Tea muttered, "But the guy is rich, Joey, and he's not intimidated by your threats. It's best to keep your words to yourself. He wants you to react this way."

"I have a few words for Kaiba, but there's a lady present," Tristan said stubbornly, folding his arms.

Tea made a face. "I need some female friends."

Together, the gang made their way back to Joey's. Once settled, they discussed what had happened. "Bakura stole all those duel disks and decks for his army," Ryou said quietly, "Obviously he plans to stay here."

"But where could he have gone?" Tea pondered.

"That's a good question," Joey stretched, yawning, "Let's figure it out tomorrow."

"Joey!"

"Wha?" he asked, grinning, "Joey needs some Z's."

"We don't know enough to form any kind of idea as to what he's doing, anyway," Ryou said, "He'll need to rest. Diabound was weakened by Kaiba's Blue Eyes. Joey's right, we should all get some sleep."

"I'm sorry," Tristan said, cleaning out his ear, "Did you just say 'Joey's right'? I could have sworn I heard you wrong."

"Tris-_tan!"_

* * *

><p><em>Part 2: An escape<em>

King Tastan was a gracious host. He returned Atem's cartouche to them almost at once. They were then fed and rested. When they woke the following morning, they sat down for breakfast (which both Mana and Yugi dug in to vigorously), and began to discuss their strategy.

So while Mahad and Tastan hammered out the details, Yugi tried to contact Atem. There was no answer.

_Atem? Atem, can you hear me? Where are you? Are you okay?_

Still nothing.

"I'm worried, Mana," Yugi said, "What if they're…"

Mana didn't bother finishing his sentence. She didn't have to. Instead, she said: "If they are, they'll regret it."

Just after noon, a group of soldiers reported that they had seen a large party headed towards the border, and that they would reach it by the fourteenth hour—or in other words, by about two o'clock.

Mana packed a bag, hanging it around her shoulders, and set out an hour after noon to wait at the border. Mahad wished her luck, looking concerned by resolved. He knew she could do this.

To sooth him, Mana embraced her teacher and friend. "Don't worry, Mahad," she said, "I'll get him out of there and we'll be alright."

"I know," Mahad nodded confidently.

That distilled a pride in Mana that she always longed for. Mahad trusted her.

She and Yugi gripped hands, and then Mana embraced him as well, surprising him. "Don't worry, Yugi, I'll get him to safety. We'll be fine."

Yugi smiled, "Good."

Mana flew out across the marshlands, heart pounding. It was up to her to save Atem—they were counting on her to get him out of there.

Landing at the indistinct border, she glanced around for cover. In a marsh, there was little to hide behind, but at the border where the swamp ended, there were several trees and bushes growing some distance off.

She found a good-sized tree beside a large bush and sat down to get to work. She held her wand before her vertically, gripping it with both hands. She began to murmur the spell to camouflage herself. It took some time to work, considering it was such a complicated spell. But slowly, she began to turn the colors and patterns of the ground and plants around her—like a chameleon.

Minutes passed, and when the spell was completed, Mana sighed tiredly.

She would need to take Atem under cover of darkness. Hopefully, Hamon's reinforcements would take a long time.

Sighing, she set herself in the most comfortable position possible to wait.

* * *

><p>Atem flinched as the stick cracked across his back again.<p>

When Hamon had found out where the cartouche was, he had been furious. Atem had been severely punished for it—which was why he hadn't been able to answer Yugi. He didn't think he could manage it.

Hamon then told Atem that he should have mentioned Tastan's Kingdom. Atem's reply was one of sarcasm. "You're the High King now, Hamon. I assumed you knew. Besides, you never asked."

At which he was kicked away.

Walking was becoming painful on his bare feet, but he didn't complain. Complaining would get him nowhere. After walking for what seemed forever, they reached the border of the marshlands—Tastan's Kingdom.

Of course, the marsh around it was more of a safeguard. The kingdom was actually situated on large islands in the center are of the swamp.

"We set camp here," Hamon said, "And wait for the reinforcements." He threw the Pharaoh a glare before pacing away.

The soldiers set to work, latching Atem's chains to a tree and posting guards there. He sighed, groaning as he settled down to sit. His back hurt from all the lashings he had received with 'the stick.' He and the stick didn't get along very well. Actually, he would quite like to break it.

As he sat there, he must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew, it was dark. Night had come.

Yugi's voice came to him: _Atem! Are you there?_

_I'm here, Yugi._

He could hear the straining worry in his young friend's voice and immediately slapped himself for not assuring him earlier. _I'm sorry, Yugi. I've been asleep._

_You're sort of lying._

Atem closed his eyes. _Yes._

_Why?_

_It's not important. I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was alright earlier._

_Not important? Alright? You're obviously not alright!_

_There's nothing we can do about it._

Yugi was forced to agree. There wasn't much they could do at the moment. _Mana's coming for you. Be ready._

_Alright. Thank you._

_Sure thing. How are you feeling?_

_Better, now that I know I won't have to be here anymore._

_Good. See you soon._

_See you soon._

_I hope,_ he added secretly. Hamon was vicious when he wanted something.

He waited for nearly an hour before he sensed her, coming up behind him. He was situated in the middle of the camp, guarded by two soldiers. Surrounding him was the original group of seven and the small group of thirty they had picked up earlier. How she got past them, he wasn't sure, and how she planned to get him _out _of there, he wasn't sure either, but she would.

He sat on a the previously upright tree he was tied to, eyes closed and pretending to sleep. He sensed her spell before he saw it, peeking through his eyelids. The two guards suddenly froze in place—Mana's freezing spell.

Familiar hands on his shoulders made him relax. "Hey," she breathed in his ear. He smiled, and Mana set to work on his chains silently. They fell away and she brought him to his feet, standing behind him. He felt the camouflage spell washing over him, and several minutes later, she gripped his hand, pulling him back the way she had come.

It took mere minutes of silent movement to get them out of the little camp. They didn't speak for a long time as they moved farther away. Mana was sure they would notice his absence before long, but she couldn't wait.

She spun around and embraced him tightly, but hastily withdrew when he hissed in pain. "Oh my Ra!" she whispered, "I'm so sorry! Where are you hurt?"

He shook his head, pulling her closer. "My back. I'm alright."

Mana was about to protest, but it was cut short when Atem caught her lips with his. All thoughts immediately flew out the windows that were her ears, but she was still careful not to touch his back. She breathed out in bliss, happy to have him back in her arms.

She stroked his face, "I'm sorry."

"No, Mana," he said, touching her lips, "It doesn't matter. We're back together again."

Mana smiled. "Oh! I brought you some clothes. I have bandages too. Let me see your back."

He turned around. Mana closed her eyes. "Heavens to Hathor, Atem! How can you stand that?" she set to work without a reply, healing the lashes and applying salve and bandages to his torso. Atem closed his eyes, liking the feel of Mana's hands moving along his spine, and the creamy salve on his back.

She pulled his clothes from her bag, and Atem gratefully slipped them on—and shoes. And his cape; how he had missed his cape.

"Thanks," he breathed gratefully.

They heard shouting back the way they had escaped. "We have to go," Mana said softly, taking his hand. "Can you run?"

He nodded. "Let's go."

They circled around, heading the same direction, trying to loose any pursuers and finding their way by moonlight. They stopped, both exhausted. Mana was magically drained, while Atem was physically drained.

"We need to find a place to stay the night," she muttered, looking around. Her wand materializing and she spoke a spell. To Atem, it appeared as if nothing happened, but Mana tugged him over to a shaded area, where she knelt down and crawled in to seemingly nothing.

Atem followed her in confusion. When inside, he found that they must be in an invisible sort of tent. It was tall enough for them to stand in, with a single bed, a table and two chairs. Mana immediately headed for the bed, and Atem laid carefully down beside her.

He made a face at the pressure on his back, but slowly, he got used to it and relaxed. He was so tired. They listened in silence for any sound of pursuers, and heard none. Mana cast several protective spells, said prayers to protective gods, and set her head down on Atem's shoulder.

She sighed, "I'm glad you're back, Atem."

"Me too," he muttered, already half asleep. Before he drifted off, he kissed her head gratefully and managed to say: "What would I do without you?"

* * *

><p><strong>Don't expect another update like this one! It's freaking <em>six <em>pages! Sheesh. I don't know what got into me! Well, enjoy it. I'll try to make the updates longer, but they definitely won't be this long!**

**You guys are lucky, trust me. Sorry it's sort of/kind of a cliffhanger. There's really no other way to do it or I wouldn't. :/**

**Anyway… review, favorite, subscribe, whatever you like—you know the drill.**

**-Anevay**


	28. Complications

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh isn't mine—gasp! Are you shocked? (If you are, well… um, I'm sorry?)**

Author's note: alright! Here we are at yet another chap. Ready?

Tsuki: just do it!

Hikari: DO IT!

Anevay: Alright, alright! Heavens to Hathor, calm down… in case anyone hasn't met Tsuki and Hikari, they're my OC's, although Tsuki is actually a strange hikari for me (emphasis on the strange)… Hikari's name, incidentally, does not coincide with me. She's my friend's hikari, thus her _name _is Hikari—anyway, that was unnecessary. Tsuki's name is pronounced Su-key. Hikari… she's just Hikari.

Hikari: I don't know whether to be insulted by that or not.

Anevay: Good, because I'm not elaborating! Here we are with the thanks/responses/the usual stuff:

Reviewers: **Cometflight525, The Trio of Twilight, Littlekuribohlover, Aqua girl 007, Chistarpax, fan person, jak dragon, Khemet- Egyptian vampire, kaya croft **& **me! **Whoo. Lots of reviewers.

**Cometflight525**: haha thanks! I always make sure to study the characters and the way the story line usually goes before I write ANYTHING, otherwise I'll get writers block—I get it when I mess up, so I know when I'm doing good and when I'm having problems… ^-^ By the way, I don't like to torture Atem! :O I love him. My _characters _like to torture him. Not me :) poor Atem… (I'm not offended, just stating the truth X)

**The Trio of Twilight**: you're welcome! King Tastan is cooler than you think. Is it obvious yet that I'm obsessed with Atem and Mana? X)

**Littlekuribohlover**: thank you! And finally someone appreciates how much time this takes! ;) I usually do my homework right after school, mess around while waiting for my reviewers to review so I can reply and thank them, and then begin writing around ten PM and end around one in the morning. It's not like I can sleep before then anyway. I've tried, believe me, it just doesn't work, so I write until about one AM. You are very welcome for my hard work ^o^ it's worth it. Writing is _kind of_ my life.

**Aqua girl 007**: Kaiba is way fun to write. He's so rude and yet I still love him. Anyway—you're right about the Robin Hood idea. Thanks for pointing that out! It would probably be best to just take the plot (mostly) and setting and use the characters. Gah—don't even get me STARTEDon revolutionshipping. It drives me NUTS. (no offense to anyone who likes it) Anywho, thanks for the advice!

**Chistarpax**: OH! I like that idea! I'm totally gonna use that. Thanks! Now I'm all excited ^O^

**Fan person**: ha—poor Yugi. My response: yes I'm playing! (keep in mind that all my 'How Dare You's will probably be sarcastic—not trying to be rude) How dare you slap Yugi!

**Jak dragon**: hahah your review doesn't come off rude, it just makes me laugh. I _am _a Yu-Gi-Oh nerd, but not as much as I used to be. I don't have time to sit around and watch it all day, as much as I love it. I don't do role play though haha! That's too far for me. I just study them really carefully and kind of experiment with them. I do admit to being a Yugioh nerd, however. I even have a deck of my own cards! Hehe… you didn't see me admit that.

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: Ooo I like it! You've got a point on last names… hm. I'll think of something. Or _we _will. I'll get to work on some research! Yay! This is gonna be fun ^o^

**Kaya croft**: I'm flattered that you'd risk getting caught and read them during class! ;) Well, thanks! I always try to have a mixture to fit all audiences. That way, no one can really hate them. On Kaiba: I had to mention him eventually. Who doesn't love the hot, jerk-wad CEO? You didn't see me admit that Kaiba is hot… even though I _do _think Atem is hot… anywaysss… awkward… thanks for reviewing! I'll definitely check out any fics you write! I try to give my reviewers the same courtesy that they give me.

I would also like to thank any who favorited this story—sorry, my email isn't working and of all the people who have this on their favorites/alerts, I don't know who I haven't already thanked! *o*

_Holy Amun-Ra! A page _already and I haven't even started writing!It's getting late! Let's just move on with the story! Sheesh, I do tend to run at the mouth, don't I? Whoops! I'll shut up now.

Tsuki & Hikari: _Fin_ally…

I'm not even going to reply. Just scroll down.

* * *

><p><em>Complications<em>

Mana sat up abruptly upon hearing the shouting outside. Looking over at Atem, he was still sound asleep, a hand tucked behind his head.

He looked so peaceful. That was a rare thing these days. She knew he would want her to wake him, but…

She decided against it, pulling on her dress and tiptoeing silently to the door, crouching down beside it. People were walking around outside it, speaking in rapid, muted Egyptian. Before they had been shouting, but now they were quieter. Something was up.

Footsteps drew nearer. Mere moments after Mana drew her wand, cursing herself, arms shot through the gap. _"I've found it!" _a man shouted.

Mana smacked his hands with her wand: "Oh, no, you didn't!" She muttered a double spell under her breath, pointing it at the man just outside the door and effectively erasing his memory while moving the tent at the same time.

"Huh?" he said, "Where am I?"

"Oh, move!" shouted another, harsher tone. Mana held her breath. The double spell she had cast should have worked. She heard someone stomping on the ground. "There's nothing here, you fool."

Still Mana held her breath, glancing towards Atem for a fraction of a second. He was moving. Without making a sound, Mana moved to his side and shook him gently while covering his mouth. When his amethyst eyes opened, she put her lips to his ear: "Soldiers outside."

He sat up and climbed off the bed noiselessly. Together, they moved wraithlike towards the exit. He already seemed awake, but she knew he would still be tired. He had been through a lot. He held a finger to his lips, holding out his arm, where his diadhank appeared. Mana cursed herself for not bringing him a sword.

They both knew that the only way out would probably be to fight. Mana gathered their things quietly, joining him at the door and holding her wand. They were still stomping around outside, but drawing nearer in their methodical search.

Abruptly, they charged from the tent with Black Luster Soldier in the lead, sword held aloft. The soldiers converged in on them, and Black Luster Soldier went to work, cutting down enemies left and right.

Atem retrieved one of the fallen soldiers swords and jumped in to help, while Mana blasted dark magic around at them. There was one man in particular there, a man in long, light robes…

He held something like a staff in his hands, and smiled at Mana. Somehow that was creepier than if he had glared or sneered at her. Holding his staff out, he began to speak in another tongue.

Mana realized too late that he was speaking a spell, and went flying back to skid across the ground.

"_Mana!"_ Atem bellowed, angrily turning on the stranger. He jumped in the man's path, blocking his way to her. _"Who are you?"_

"I'm the Sorcerer," he smiled easily, "I believe I'm meeting his highness at last?"

Atem snarled unintelligibly. "Why are you here?"

"Because Hamon paid me to be here," the sorcerer replied. "I do jobs people pay me to do. I have no opinion on this war of yours. I do my job, that's all."

"Well you can stop doing it," retorted the Pharaoh venomously.

The sorcerer shook his head, "Oh, no. Hamon paid me to do something very specific. He wants you back and the girl dealt with."

Atem held his sword at the ready, summoning another creature wordlessly at the same time. "Give me your worst," he challenged.

Again, the sorcerer smiled, leveling his staff.

"_No!" _Mana screeched from behind, pushing herself into a semi-sitting position from the torso up with difficulty. Her wand came around too late.

A bolt of lightning-hot bright blue energy streaked towards the Pharaoh, and yet he held his ground. As the attack hit, it enveloped him in a cloud of unnatural dust. Mana's cry of horror was cut short when she spotted him standing upright as the air cleared.

The sorcerer scowled in annoyance. "Ah," he said, clearly irritated, "I see. You've brought forth a spellcaster of your own to protect you."

Atem crossed his arms over his chest. "Sorcerer, meet my Magician of Black Chaos. He may not be my mightiest Magician," he said, smiling at the magician, "But he's one of them."

The sorcerer scowled. Now that Atem got a better look at him, he realized that he looked somewhat familiar. Was he… a duel monster? He had long dark hair and wore a white robe done over a light blue tunic, held at the waist with a brown belt. Around his head was a white band interwoven with silver; and his staff was silver with a pointed diamond at the end, while the butt was blunted with a sphere.

Atem's head turned slightly as he frowned, "I've seen you before. You're a spirit creature, aren't you? The Sorcerer of Light. Why work for Hamon?"

The Sorcerer of Light folded his arms, "I told you—because it's my job. He's paid well."

"And you will be rewarded far greater if you work for me," Atem persuaded, "Mine is a worthy cause; his is not. Make the right choice."

"There _is _no right choice," the sorcerer said, turning away, "It doesn't matter if I work for you or for Hamon. It makes no difference to me."

Atem sighed. He had tried. "Very well. You give me no choice. Magician of Black Chaos,_ chaos scepter blast!"_

The sorcerer's staff waved across the air to protect himself, but he was thrown back by the force. He got to his feet, holding out his staff and speaking a spell.

Atem gave instructions to the Magician of Black Chaos, to which the magician nodded without turning, crossing his arms to block the sorcerer's attack and skidding backwards at the force. Atem turned back to Mana, intending to run to her, but froze.

Mana was being held up by Hamon himself, who was smiling. "Hello, Pharaoh," he said, sinisterly pleasant, "Lovely day, isn't it?"

Atem's eyes locked with Mana's. Why hadn't she warned him? Her eyes said: _he snuck up on me. Run._ Atem's thoughts were far from running. "Let her go, Hamon," he said in a low warning tone, anger bubbling inside him. "This is between you and me."

"Funny, how that always seems to be the case," Hamon mused, "And yet it doesn't bother me. I want your wife's soul anyway, so why should I let her go?"

Atem felt his heart drop to his stomach, his face draining. His brow darkened, growling, "You wouldn't dare."

"Wouldn't I?" he whispered.

A knife-like black ring on his finger flashed out to jab in to her arm. Her aquamarine-green eyes widened, staring at Atem. Mana vanished.

It was over just like that.

"_NO!" _Atem screamed, _"MANA!" _It seemed like seconds before the Pharaoh was digging his hand in to Hamon's throat, hauling him in to the air with one arm. _"Where is she?" _Hamon choked and spluttered in wide-eyed shock. _"WHERE IS SHE?"_

Realizing, rationally, that Hamon couldn't breathe, he instead shoved him against the nearest tree, digging his elbow in to his gut. _"Tell me!" _he demanded, still screaming. He was distraught, emotions of anger, despair and guilt raging inside him.

Hamon was laughing.

_Laughing._

Atem wanted to kill him. Too bad they were already dead.

The Pharaoh pulled the sword he had retrieved from his belt, shoving it into Hamon's torso without hesitation. _"I want her back," _he hissed, _"Now."_

For the first time, Hamon realized he may have picked the wrong fight.

"I'll-I'll tell you," he gasped, "I'll tell you!"

"_Tell me now!" _the Pharaoh shouted, "If you value your _pathetic _soul, tell me now!" He yanked the ring off Hamon's finger, "Tell me and you can have this _thing_ back. I'll ask you again: _where is she?"_

Hamon spluttered, and Atem released some of the pressure on his throat so he could speak. Hamon gasped for air, "Another dimension. The dimension of stolen souls."

"You'd better not be lying," Atem snarled, and spoke a spell of his own: the truth spell. "Tell me again," he said. The tone of command was unmistakable.

"Her soul is in the dimension of stolen souls! It's where I draw my power," he rasped. "Happy?"

Atem smiled. It wasn't a pleasant smile. In fact, it rather scared Hamon. "Not yet. I will be once I retrieve all those you've stolen. Now do me a favor," he snarled, "Go to your place of power yourself and give her a message: I'll get her back if it's the last thing I do."

Atem drew the ring back, with all the motivation to do it.

Something stopped him. A voice came to his head, one he didn't recognize.

_Now, now, Pharaoh, if you do that, you're no better than he is. Let's be civilized. _I'll _do it instead._

He found himself tossed away from Hamon, and some other presence made itself manifest. Atem was dizzy, he was angry, he was confused, but most of all, he was lost. Lost without Mana. He felt a painful stab at the thought of her—it was his fault.

Peering up through a frustrating daze, he saw a black figure standing over him. It knelt down and took the ring from beside him, speaking candidly: "I thank you for wounding Hamon, Pharaoh. He's a weak fool. Now it's my turn. This war is between you and I, now. Don't worry, we'll get to know each other soon, I'm sure. This gift from Anubis will come in handy," the figure mused, "Always intended for _me_, of course. Hamon's job is complete. He was supposed to begin the war, make a way, and open the gate from darkness for me. Now _I _am the High King. His forces are mine. And one day, you will be mine as well," the black figure rose, "Farewell for now, Pharaoh."

Atem drifted into oblivion, with the last thing he heard being Hamon's pleading for mercy, and a scream.

* * *

><p>Slowly, the Pharaoh's vision cleared. The glare of the evening sun made him squint. He groaned, rolling over. What had happened again?<p>

Everything rushed through him with a shock.

Mana was gone.

It was as if he was seeing it happen all over again. He gasped for air, trying to comprehend and failing. Mana was gone. Hamon was gone, too, but he hadn't been the one to do it. He wished he had been. Everything was ten times more complicated now. That figure must have been the other power that had popped up what seemed so long ago.

Was that who was really behind all of this?

He felt like he was right back to the start, back to a point where he didn't know anything. He hated it, but not more than he hated himself. If only he could have gotten back to Mana quicker, maybe none of this would have happened.

He tried to hold it in; the anger, the despair. He held his body taut, feeling lost and confused. Mana. She was all he could think about.

Atem pounded the ground with his fists, screaming at the gods. How could he have let this happen?

For a long time, he didn't move. Forehead to the ground, hands over his head and body trembling, he sobbed. "I'll get you for this!" he yelled, meant for both Hamon and the black figure. "Mana…"

Some time later, he was found crawling across the ground towards the marshes. He was exhausted. His only hope was that Mahad and Yugi would find him. As he reached the border, he collapsed. He would get Mana back. He had to.

* * *

><p>Mahad flew as fast as he could.<p>

The soldiers had informed him minutes before. They said they had seen what looked like the Pharaoh lying at the border. He hadn't wasted a minute to find out for himself.

His insides fell upon confirmation of his fear. It was the Pharaoh, lying at the border, just as the soldiers had said. _"No,"_ he murmured, insides dropping further as he saw that Mana wasn't with him.

Back at Tastan's palace, Yugi paced anxiously. He had been trying to contact Atem for the past day and hadn't gotten anything. He should have known something was wrong—he had felt an overpowering rage earlier that day. Atem hardly ever lost his temper. There was only one other time he could place when the Pharaoh had been really angry; one time _he _could remember feeling the Pharaoh's pure anger. It had been during the Battle City tournament, when Joey's had laid comatose on the blimp. But _that _had been mostly fueled by Yugi's rage. He had never actually _felt _Atem lose it like that.

However, there was one time he hadn't experienced that the Pharaoh had automatically transferred to him. It had been during the time when they had battled Dartz and Yugi's soul had been taken. He recalled the memory now—Atem had dueled Weevle on a moving train, and had lost his temper, attacking him in a blind rage. That was the only other time Yugi could remember a rage like the one he had felt earlier.

Something awful had happened. He could feel it—and he was dreading it.

When Mahad returned, he bore a partially conscious Atem. As Mahad set him down inside the palace, his knees gave out from under him and he fell. Mahad knelt beside him, but Atem pushed him away halfheartedly.

Yugi ran to his side, setting a hand on his shoulder. "Atem, what happened?"

Yugi was shocked to see that he was crying.

"Mana," he choked, "She's gone, Yugi."

Atem's fist pounded against the stone ground. His entire body was shaking. Yugi closed his eyes, fighting tears himself. He liked Mana. He had grown close to her in the time he had been here. Mostly, he was affected by Atem's emotions: he felt the Atem's anger, guilt, confusion, despair. Their link had grown stronger in the last months, and he now felt the link like he used to.

"We'll get her back," he whispered in an attempt to give him strength, "We will, Atem. I'll help you."

The Pharaoh didn't resist Yugi as he pulled his arm around his shoulders, bringing him to his feet. Mahad gripped his other arm, and together they took him to his room, where he resisted rest. Mahad placed a sleeping spell on him and he stopped struggling, already asleep.

Yugi sighed. "Poor Atem," he said as they left the room. "We will get Mana back, right?"

Mahad's gray eyes were confident. "We have to."

Yugi nodded. He would help his friend no matter what.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Why did I do that? <em>I didn't even see that coming! MANA! What is wrong with me?**

**I wouldn't blame you if you hated me right now. _I_ hate me right now!**

**Gah! While I go wallow in sadness over this chapter (and you do too), review and let me know what you think. I'm so terrible! I don't think I'll ever get over this. Mana, I am so sorry! Atem will get you back…**

**-Anevay**


	29. New Threats and New Plans

**Disclaimer: Ra, I hate these things! No, I do _not _own Yugioh.**

Author's note: ANNOUNCEMENT! I am pondering changing the name of the fic, since Atem isn't really _returning_… I had a different idea in mind at the beginning but, well (shrugs) as you can see, everything has kind of taken its own turn of events. If anyone has any ideas, I'm open to 'em. I am also open to any suggestions as to what the Dimension of Stolen Souls should look/be like. I've got the general idea, but you know…

Anywho, thanks/responses:

Reviewers: **jak dragon(x3), Chistarpax, princess atemma, Khemet- Egyptian vampire, littlekuribohlover, kaya croft, fan person, Aqua girl 007, **& **me(x2)! **If I've missed anyone, I'm really sorry—my hotmail and FFnet haven't been mixing very well :P

For favoriting the story: **Aira 000** & **midorimoon. **For favoriting me: **littlekuribohlover. **For alerting me: **Chistarpax. **For story alerting: **DarkShadowRose1** and **Chistarpax.**

**Jak dragon**: still hanging on to that GX story, huh? :J It's not gonna work… ;D hahah Tastan is really cool ;) trust me.

**Me**: Yay, I made someone cry! XD cross that off my bucketlist… ;) My friends? Oh, well, you know, they think I'm pretty awesome… ^o^ LOL jk I don't usually tell people.

**Aqua girl 007**: neither did I :O I almost cried while writing it. I wasn't originally planning for it, and then suddenly *POOF!* there it is. I have no idea what happened.

**Fan person**: nope, didn't see it coming. It happens sometimes—I'll just be writing and then this thought pops into my head, and before I can stop it, there it is on paper. *POOF!* its just there. My turn: I agree—how dare I do that to Mana!

**Kaya croft**: hahah you can _have _Kaiba as long as I get Atem… and yes I will describe it, no he's not Hamon's monster so he _will _be back, and yes I'm very upset about Mana :(

**Littlekuribohlover**: oh, it's no bother. Checked it out, reviewed all chaps, and _MAN _do I miss Mana! X(

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: Oooo another good idea… time to do some research… X) I'll check out the books, they sound cool!

**Princess atemma**: first, yes Amisi is Atem's mother—my name for her, anyway. As for the deck, some of my cards are: Dark Magician, Dragon Master Knight, Blue Eyes, Flame Champion, Kuriboh, Wingweaver, Celtic Guardian, Change of Heart, Diffusion Wave Motion, Tribute to the Doomed…I have about… a hundred cards all together…? Yeah, that's my Yugioh nerd-i-ness for ya, even though I know some people have tons more.

(Takes deep breath) Okay, here we go again. Let's do this! I'm pumped.

* * *

><p><em>New Threats and New Plans<em>

Atem's head remained down, eyes blank. He hadn't touched his breakfast. Yugi sat beside him, but Atem wasn't really _there._

Yugi sighed, draping his arm around his older friend's shoulders. "Atem," he said quietly, "Atem, look at me." He looked up, but his eyes were far away. There was no _feeling _in them. They were empty—blank. He blinked, but his expression didn't change. "Remember the Orichalcos?"

The Pharaoh flinched. At least it was something.

"Even though you were angry and upset, losing yourself, you kept trying to find me," Yugi said, "And you did find me. None of it was your fault. You know I don't blame you, and Mana won't either. You've got to have the desire to find her or you'll break."

Yugi's voice was full of emotion. He was upset that Atem was upset. For the first time in the past day, Atem felt something. His amethyst orbs met Yugi's violet ones. Slowly, he let a small, grim smile touch his face—it felt wrong, so he let it drop, but he had _some _emotion in his eyes.

He drew a deep breath, closing his eyes. That was a mistake.

Every time he closed his eyes he saw Mana—her smile, her eyes, and the way she looked when she was thinking hard, her tongue protruding. He saw her hair, heard her laugh… It hurt.

He cringed, burying his face in his hands. "It feels so _wrong,_" he croaked at last. Yugi waited and he elaborated: "Smiling. Laughing. Anything."

Yugi had never seen him so lost. "I'll help you get her back," he promised, "I told you I would stick with you no matter what. We'll get her back together."

Atem sat up, smiling somewhat at Yugi. "Thank you," he whispered, "I've told you before, Yugi, but your friendship means a great deal to me."

Yugi beamed, "There ya go." He brought the Pharaoh to his feet, gripping his arm, "There's the Atem I know. We'll get Mana back."

The Pharaoh came across a horrible thought. The _ankhet _on both his and Yugi's wrists marked them as targets. He couldn't let Yugi get into this. He had to do this on his own. He had promised himself, promised Yugi, inwardly, that he wouldn't let the boy get hurt. He had to keep his promise.

Gripping Yugi's shoulder, he pulled him in to an embrace. "Yugi, if I'd had a little brother, I would have wanted it to be you," he told him, pulling back with his hands on the boy's shoulders. His eyes glittered with pride. "You have grown in to a man to be proud of."

Yugi blinked in surprise, a slow pride-filled smile growing on his face, "Thanks, Atem."

"Come on," Atem said, breathing deeply as that usual set of determined features framed his face, "We've got some planning to do."

* * *

><p>They discussed where to go to find Mana, what they needed to do, who they needed to contact, who this new power was—Yugi's head was spinning in confusion by the time they finished. So, Hamon had just been a puppet? A game piece?<p>

Mahad, Tastan and Atem hammered out the details of the plan. Mostly, Yugi just listened. That was what he did best a lot of the time; other than duel.

The replacement didn't attack at all that day, which worried them, but they couldn't wait. That night, they executed their plan.

Tastan was to gather his forces together and hold off Hamon's replacement's army while they escaped to find Mana.

Atem, however, had his own agenda.

"You will take the back exit," Tastan said in his deep-voiced thick accent, "They will not expect this way. Mahad, you will fly, yes?" when Mahad nodded, he continued without pause: "It is best to go west, away from the army. That is where you will find the door to the next dimension. It may take several doors to find the correct dimension you seek."

The back entrance was the west side of Tastan's kingdom, which was the direction they needed to head. Mahad led the way in full Dark Magician form, searching for anyone who could harm them.

Yugi hovered between Mahad and Atem, who was speaking with Tastan. Comparing the two, Atem actually looked lighter, and his skin was quiet dark. Tastan's outfit consisted of much gold and deep red, along with the occasional rich black.

Atem gripped Tastan's dark hand with his comparably lighter one. "I can't thank you enough, Tastan," he was saying.

"Think nothing of it, Pharaoh," Tastan dismissed, "My loyalties lie with you as is the case with these two. I wish you luck in finding Mana. May the gods ever be with you."

"And with you," Atem said, bowing. Tastan did likewise before the door was pulled shut silently.

Mahad flew them over the marshes, the wind whipping their clothes and hair. As they landed, they stood still for a moment before Mahad led the way again. The moved with little noise on foot, Mahad ever scouting the area, staff in hand.

Mahad's thought were along the same line as the Pharaoh's.

"Surely they must have sensed us," muttered the Pharaoh.

Right on cue, several soldiers burst through the trees—including the Sorcerer of Light. Atem scowled. He had taken to blaming the sorcerer for Mana being gone, though he hated Hamon far more. He drew his curved sword, pointing it at the sorcerer. "You will pay," he growled.

"For?" the sorcerer asked innocently.

Atem's death glare was enough to make the sorcerer think twice.

While they all stood in battle stances, Atem and Mahad exchanged glances. Imperceptibly, the Pharaoh nodded.

With a mighty swing of his staff, Mahad cast a double spell. He cast both a mist at the soldiers and sorcerer and a shield to protect them. Atem tore his newly found cartouche from his neck (for perhaps the thousandth time) and inserted it into mid air. Before Yugi could protest, Atem seized him and shoved him through, throwing the cartouche after him.

Yugi sprung to his knees, spinning back towards the portal. The last thing he saw was Atem's sad, confident, apologetic amethyst eyes and determined stance as the portal snapped shut, cutting his view off abruptly.

"_No!" _Yugi cried. _Why? _He asked mentally, angrily.

_This isn't your fight, Yugi. I couldn't let you get hurt, not after all I've put you through. But I didn't leave you out completely. You're in charge of my cartouche and the war efforts out there. Your friends need you. I'm sorry—this is something I must do alone. Good luck._

And the link was muted. Yugi couldn't communicate with him or hear him anymore. Shocked, he sat there in stony silence.

Back in the Afterlife, Atem turned his sword on the enemy.

More soldiers surged in.

"There are too many!" Mahad called.

"I know," Atem replied, "I have a plan!"

Both Mahad and Atem cast a protective shield around them. They stood back to back, and Atem quickly told Mahad his thoughts: "We need reinforcements. If I can get Mana and the other back, and you can gather spirit monsters and our remaining armies…"

"We might stand a chance," Mahad finished. "Yes, but I do not like the idea of leaving you."

"I must find Mana, Mahad," Atem said, gritting his teeth. "And the others. You must gather our armies and more or we fall."

Reluctantly, Mahad agreed. "Very well. You go west and I will fly east, towards the Realm of the Beasts."

Atem nodded, and they glanced at one another one last time. "Good luck, Mahad."

"Good luck to you, my Pharaoh. Save Mana."

"I will."

Their battle cries echoed through the air and the shield broke and they both charged—both in to the air and heading in opposite directions. Atem glanced back after Mahad, his Magician of Black Chaos carrying him west while Mahad went east. He had been reluctant to part with Mahad. He didn't want to loose anyone else.

Leaving the small army that had converged on them behind, Atem slowly began to relax.

That is, until something shot them out of the sky.

The Magician of Black Chaos and Atem tumbled across the ground. Atem hauled himself to his feet, glaring around. That was when the black figure stepped from the shadows.

"I told you we would be meeting soon, Pharaoh," they said, "Now I believe that it's time to introduce myself."

The darkness fell away like a blanket, leaving a man in its place. He had black hair and he had sharp features: his eyes were red. He wore a black toga, high brown sandals, a belt at his waist and a dark single-shouldered cape over one shoulder. He had Anubis' ring on his finger. He appeared more Roman or Greek than anything.

"I, Pharaoh Atem, am Erebus," he smiled. The smile didn't reach those blood-red eyes. "Named after the Greek demon which guards the gates of hell. I would say that the name quite suits me, wouldn't you?" Though his mouth smiled, his face didn't. "Now pick yourself off the ground so we can speak face to face. I like to get a good look at my enemies before I _pluck_ them apart."

Atem stood, face expressionless and holding himself high. "It's good to finally meet the puppeteer," he said coldly.

"So you've figured it out, have you? Clever Pharaoh," he said, "Yes, I was controlling Hamon. He was never truly dark. Just a pawn. My way into the Afterlife and out of the Dark Realm." He began pacing, "I suppose I should introduce myself further. I am an underling of what remains of Zorc, whom you destroyed," he turned a murderous glare on Atem, "I hope to resurrect him permanently with your soul. And your Magician's—that much magical energy would be a huge impact. That boy wouldn't do much harm either."

Atem remained unmoving. "Then what are you waiting for?" he asked softly.

"I want to toy with you," Erebus mused, "It's so fun to see your enemies squirm."

"That's not how Zorc works," Atem pointed out.

"No," Erebus agreed, "But he's not here yet, so I may as well have my fun while I can, hm?"

"You're just another pawn, Erebus," Atem said, louder now, "He has used many pawns."

"Do I look like a pawn to you?" Erebus growled—it was almost wolf-like. "I was brought up to serve him, forced to do evil deeds, and at the age of nine, I died and entered the Dark Realm, where I began to learn beneath what remained of him after _you _destroyed him."

There was a venom on his tongue. A hunger nothing would satisfy.

Atem knew he had to get out of there. "Then what do you want from me now, if not to take my soul?"

Again, Erebus smiled. "Torture of the soul and heart, Pharaoh, are my greatest tools." Behind him stepped the Sorcerer, whose face was blank. "And you are not meant to find your wife's soul just yet."

A mist cast through the air made Atem weak, and his Magician of Black Chaos was gone in an instant.

Erebus' voice came from a long ways away, "When you wake, you will have to fight your way out and find others that will aid you. Only then will you return here to claim her soul. Until we meet again, Pharaoh. And I think that will be sooner than we think."

As soldiers tied the Pharaoh up, Erebus turned away, darkness coating him once again.

* * *

><p><strong>Don't kill me, 'kay? It's almost two AM, and I have to get up early, otherwise I would have kept going.<strong>

**Tsuki: You suck. (Hikari spits tongue at her)**

**Shut it, you two! I know, I know.**

**Review!**

**-Anevay**


	30. Battling the Darkness

**Disclaimer: yet another depressing factor of life=the fact that I do not own Yugioh.**

Author's note: _I'm sorry! _DXI'll make it better!

Tsuki: _Am I in this chapter, am I in this chapter?_

Anevay: _Yes, _Tsuki, you're in this chapter.

Tsuki: and Hikari?

Anevay: And Hikari.

Tsuki: _Yesss…!_

Anyway, let's get moving. Thanks/responses and such:

Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight, fan person, Aqua girl 007, Cometflight525(x2), Khemet- Egyptian vampire, littlekuribohlover, princess atemma, **& **me!**

**Fan person**: how dare you how dare me! (I'm tired:p)

**Cometflight525**: Yugi was sent back to the World of the Living, sorry if that wasn't clear. You're playing too, huh? Well then—how dare you enjoy this story!

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: here, I did this fight scene just for you. Cool, cool, on the army thing, wish I could have the courage to ever do that. And the YGO/RH fic is coming alright. I'm sketching out some ideas, so we'll see how it goes.

**Littlekuribohlover**: cool, I'll check it out! Yeah, I knew that, actually :) Yugioh is the greatest! Write on, even in the dead of night…

**Me**: getting to it ;) and my English mark? Well, I usually get A's in my classes, and I get the highest points on our end of the year testing. Once even the highest in the state…

Other thanks to **vampialuva** for adding me to author alert subscription! Sorry if I missed anyone :P

Anyway, I am _so _tired. Enjoy the chap. Criticize me! I need constructive criticism! :O

* * *

><p><em>Battling the Darkness<em>

Yugi was worried. He hadn't been able to contact Atem since he had left the Afterlife and entered the World of the Living.

Not only was he worried, he was just a _little bit _angry with his friend. He was so overprotective these days. At least he had given Yugi some sort of task, so he supposed he couldn't stay completely angry with him—just a bit angry.

He was in Domino, of course. He was making his way back home, hoping to sneak in, snag some clothes, and head out to find the others. Technically, he was still missing, and he would like to keep it that way. He still didn't have a logical, explainable explanation for his disappearance. It was the two words 'explainable explanation' that were tricky, although 'logical' would be a problem, too.

All in all, he was in quite a pickle.

Night was in full bloom, so there weren't many out. However, when he reached Domino Square, it was a different story.

Chaos was in full bloom. People dressed in black were tormenting citizens, destroying buildings, battling others who were standing against them. He recognized some of them: Joey, Tristan, Tea, Ryou, Duke, Mai, and a few random duelists. They all wore duel disks and held make-shift weapons like poles, shafts of wood, and crowbars.

Luckily, Yugi had something better.

He held out his diadhank, "Silent Swordsman, Silent Magician, get to work!" both creatures shimmered in to existence, massive staff and sword held aloft. They charged into the midst, cutting down those in black.

"_Yugi!" _cried several voices at once as he drew a curved sword.

He grinned. It was time to do the job Atem had handed him.

* * *

><p>Atem's head rolled on his shoulders. He tried, uncomfortably, to move, and found that his hands were tied behind him around a tall column. He blinked at the sunlight streaming over him, confused and dazed. Looking up, he realized there was a hole above him, wide enough for him to squeeze through. Erebus wanted him to escape.<p>

But he didn't want to escape.

"Erebus!" he bellowed, "If you want me to escape so badly, fight me first! I want answers!" From the darkness around him, he spotted a pair of red eyes peeking at him. Slowly the figure drew closer to reveal Erebus.

"I was wondering when you would ask," Erebus said, "How do you wish to duel me?"

A wave of energy rolled down Atem's arms, and he broke the bonds holding him to the column. He pointed at Erebus, "We duel as we are."

"Combat?" mused Erebus, "Very well."

Atem advanced, "I win, you tell me what I need to know and go free."

"_I _win," Erebus said with a smile, "And _you_ tell me what I need to know. If we tie, we each get a piece of information and you go mostly free."

Atem wasn't surprised. Erebus had said himself that he wanted Atem to escape. Why, he wasn't sure. Mostly free? What was that supposed to mean? Either way, Atem didn't care. He just wanted information.

Both men tossed their capes aside, moving slowly towards each other. Erebus made the first move, kicking his leg out from the side. Atem ducked, throwing his foot against Erebus' knee and causing him to stumble. It was enough of an opening for Atem—he dashed in, grabbing Erebus around the torso and throwing him over his shoulder, where he thudded to the ground.

The Pharaoh spun around, only to receive a blunt kick in the stomach from Erebus' foot. As he fell, he managed to roll over backwards and get to his feet, where he caught Erebus' fist as it flashed at his face. Using the leverage he held on the dark underling's hand, he shoved the fist upward, getting in close and pushing his arm against Erebus' throat.

He felt a sharp point at his stomach.

Looking down, he froze.

That black, knife-like pointed ring was poised for his gut.

Erebus smiled. It still didn't touch those cold red eyes. "It seems we've come to a tie. Look at that." Atem's face remained expressionless, and Erebus continued: "So tell me, Pharaoh, what is it you wish to know?"

Atem released him, and they both stepped away. "What are your plans? In detail."

"A deal is a deal, I suppose," Erebus mused, "Very well. First of all, I plan to take everyone around you, making you suffer. I'll let you have your wife back, and then I'll take her again. You will be all alone. That is when I shall finally take your soul, using you, your two Magicians, and that look-alike boy's souls to resurrect Zorc—permanently." His red orbs narrowed, "In detail, that is a bit more complicated. You ask much."

"You said it yourself, Erebus," Atem said coolly, "A deal is a deal."

"Then tell me what I want in detail and I'll finish mine. It isn't much, really, compared to yours, but it may seem much to you. Are you willing to risk that for my silly plans? I mean, really," he said, head tilting, "It could cost your friend's life."

"Never," Atem whispered. He would _never _risk a friend's life—for anything. Yugi had taught him that.

"I thought so," Erebus agreed, "Here is my question, since I've answered yours. Who is that boy who looks so much like you?"

Atem had dreaded this. His face drained of blood, but he had agreed: a deal was a deal. He wasn't one to break his word, even with a snake like Erebus. "Yugi," he whispered.

"Last name, Pharaoh. _Who _is he?"

Atem knew what he meant. He had to hold up his end of the deal. "Yugi Muto. He's my hikari—my light. He was my host in the World of the Living."

"_Ah!" _Erebus exclaimed quietly, "I see now. Your bond must be strong." He was smiling wickedly now, eyes glowing. "You must be very _protective _of him, am I right, Pharaoh? Almost like a brother? A best friend? What if something were to happen to him? It's a good thing you didn't agree to go in to detail, otherwise he could be dead."

"_Be_ _silent,_" Atem snapped suddenly. He pointed threateningly at his enemy, "You lay a _finger _on him, Erebus, and I will make sure you _pay _for harming him in any way. I will destroy you, one way or the other, but harm him and you will die _slo_wly, I promise you that."

"Then I suppose I'll just have to take my chances, then, won't I? Just like you," his wicked smile grew, "Now go. I'll give you an hour to get ahead of the guards I'm sending after you. That gives you until dawn. I would hurry if I were you."

Erebus melted back in to the shadows, and Atem picked up his cape, rage boiling. Swinging the cape around the pole and gripping either end, he set to climbing the column out of there.

* * *

><p>Yugi was growing tired. The battle seemed endless. Joey and Tristan had informed him that the army usually retreated by dawn, which wasn't far off, but still—he was exhausted.<p>

An hour after he had arrived, the sun started rising.

That was when they heard the laugh, and those in black around them disappeared. They really did retreat at dawn. It seemed they had no choice, though luckily that was an upside. He collapsed beside Tea, who turned and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"You're safe!" she said in relief.

Yugi nodded, "Yeah, although not how I wanted. I was supposed to stay there and help Atem. He threw me back here against my will to keep my safe," he grumbled.

Tea squeezed his hand, "He just wants to protect you, Yugi. If it helps, I thought you were amazing while you were fighting."

Yugi blushed, "Th-thanks, Tea."

"Sure thing, Yugi," she said, smiling.

Tea and Mai busied themselves with tending to the wounded, helped by two other females who seemed unharmed. The duelists were helped to their feet one by one, and then they all headed back to Ryou's place, which seemed to be the center of command.

"Have you been fighting all night?" Yugi asked.

"All night, every night," Duke replied, arms folded and smirking slightly, "So, Yugi, where have you been during all this? I have to say, that's quite the get-up there."

Yugi sighed, pulling off his headdress and tromping upstairs without answering, where he (thankfully) changed back into normal clothes. When he went back downstairs, it was to find Joey and Tristan arguing, Tea, Mai and Ryou lounging on the sofa talking, and Duke flirting with the two girls who were among the only unharmed. The other duelists were sure to be resting.

Yugi approached the girls, cutting off Duke's flirting. "Hi," he smiled, "I just wanted to say thanks for helping out. I'm sorry I haven't been around."

He stuck out his hand, shaking the nearest girl's hand, who grinned, "That's alright. We do what we can, being duelists and all. Still not quite sure what's going on, but you know," she shrugged, folding her arms, "I'm not really one to question when help is in urgent demand."

The other girl rolled her eyes and shook Yugi's hand in her turn, "Excuse the Humble Hikari, Yugi, she's rather obnoxious. I'm Tsuki, and this?" she jerked her head at the other girl, "This is my sidekick, Hikari."

Hikari, previously folding her arms and semi-glaring at Tsuki, fell to the ground in embarrassment. Tsuki smiled in triumph, arms folded smugly.

Tsuki had cropped dark brown hair with bang-like things that hung over each eye, appearing more like downward spikes than anything. Her eyes were narrow and a clear dark green, almost Egyptian like. She wore a dark red collared tank-top and jeans, and her earrings were different: on her right ear she wore a silver and gold Egyptian _ankh_, on her left she wore the Egyptian symbol _khet,_ a curved u-like shape with one end thinner than the other—Yugi didn't know it, but it represented fire or the brazier. At her left shoulder was a gold tattoo: a millennium eye tattoo.

Hikari stood indignantly, exclaiming, "That's not how it works at all!"

Hikari had very short, spiky and silvery hair and big light brown eyes. She wore a graphic tee, light jeans, an amulet at her neck and a few colored and silver bracelets on each wrist. The amulet at her neck was the Egyptian symbol _Ieb, _which was representational of the heart. It almost looked like a jar, but it meant so much more.

Tsuki just smirked, "_Any_way, we're glad to help."

Yugi laughed, turning away and leaving the two to argue. It a way, they reminded him of Joey and Tristan, only girls and holding more secrets. Why would Tsuki have a millennium eye tattoo on her shoulder? Why were they both wearing Egyptian symbols?

As the day went by, Yugi tried to find the courage to talk to them about it. He didn't want to offend them. They seemed nice enough, and they could always use all the help they could. While he tried to figure out a way to ask, the gang filled him in on what he had missed.

Bakura was abroad, attacking by night and doing nothing during the day. They didn't know where he hid, why he was doing this, or what he wanted, but he obviously had a purpose.

Yugi didn't tell them what had happened to Mana. He didn't feel it was right. Atem would get her back.

Leaving Mai, Tea, Ryou and several others who were unwounded to tend to those that were, Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Duke, Tsuki and Hikari set out to search for Bakura. They searched all morning, finding nothing. They were all exhausted, but they kept at it relentlessly. By noon, they were ready to call it quits. That was when things got… strange, if they could possibly get any stranger.

Suddenly, there were war cries and the clash of steel on steel. From one of the side streets near the park they lounged around emerged three men clad in black and wielding _swords._

Holding them off was one man.

"Atem!" cried Yugi, jumping to his feet.

Tsuki, Hikari and Duke were _completely _confused.

Tsuki, however, felt something inside her stir. An old memory, maybe, or an ancient loyalty.

What popped out of her mouth was: "Pharaoh?" Subconsciously, she rubbed her left shoulder, where the tattoo was situated.

Yugi took off after the figure, making everyone else follow. Atem seemed to be doing just fine on his own, so Yugi kept his distance, ready to help—if he could. He didn't have his sword on him, and stepping close to those swords without his would probably be a bad idea.

As the Pharaoh disarmed one of the three men, sending him sprawling, the other two leapt to their advantage.

Acting on something even she didn't understand, Tsuki sprung into action, seizing the fallen sword. The Pharaoh managed to block one of the men's strokes, but knew that the other one was on it's way. He tried to disengage himself from the current man, but before he could. The sound of swords clashing reached his ears.

Whipping his head to the side, he found a girl he had never seen in his entire life defending him.

Hey, he wasn't complaining.

Tsuki did her best to help, unsure as to _why_ she had jumped in to action at all. She didn't know this man, she didn't know why she had called him 'Pharaoh,' of all things—but she also didn't find it strange to call him that. Heck, she wasn't even a swordfighter.

The Pharaoh stabbed the other man, making him disappear. He did the same to the fallen man, and Tsuki, surprising herself, did the same to the man she faced.

Tsuki and the Pharaoh blinked. "What just happened?" Yugi wondered, scratching his head and moving closer.

Atem shook his head, looking at Tsuki. "Thank you."

Tsuki shrugged, "You're welcome?"

Atem raised his eyebrows. Now that he looked at her closely, she looked familiar. "Wait, I think I know you."

"You do?" Tsuki asked, clearly surprised.

Realization hit Atem. _"Tsuki?"_

* * *

><p>Atem had been running since he had escaped. As soon as he had gotten out, he found himself in the middle of nowhere. Following street signs and directions from random gas stations (realizing he was with the Living), he made his way in to Domino, knowing he would find help.<p>

As promised, Erebus had sent soldiers after him.

There had originally been seven, but Atem had diminished that number significantly during his run-for-his-life. It was only at the park where he had found Yugi and the others that he had finally reached a well-populated area of Domino, and lucky him, they were right there.

The walk back to headquarters was an awkward one. Tsuki didn't know Atem. They kept glancing at each other while they didn't think the other was looking. Tsuki was trying to figure out if she knew him, while Atem was just trying to think of a way to tell her how he knew her. It wasn't going to be easy.

They didn't talk much, other than Atem telling them where he had been and what he had been doing. Still, he didn't tell them about Mana. It was too fresh and painful.

He knew that Yugi was angry with him, so they didn't talk much either. Their mind-link as re-linked, but they didn't use it.

How was Atem supposed to tell his young friend the dangers he faced when he himself didn't want to accept them?

Worn and weary, Atem bid them farewell for a time, curling up in one of the beds in a room far away from everyone. He closed his eyes.

Immediately, they were open. How could he sleep without Mana?

He tried again. Finally, sheer fatigue and force made him fall asleep.

That wasn't much help either. He dreamt about Mana, too.

* * *

><p><strong>Grrr I don't like that I leave them off at semi-cliffhangers either! I'm sorry X( things will get better… promise! You trust me, don't you?<strong>

**So, I need some help on a possible new name for the story—I'm honestly stumped. I could use some magical, creative inspiration!**

**I'm not totally sure how this chap ended up, it being about two-thirty AM and all… so, _please _review and help me out!**

**-Anevay**


	31. Back to the Afterlife

**Disclaimer: Me, owning Yu-Gi-Oh? What a cruel April Fool's joke.**

Author's note: Apparently, one of my reviewers' (fan person!) yami sent me to the Shadow Realm. This is a new experience… (Looks around) luckily, I keep my computer on me at all times. Ah, well, I'm sure Tsuki will get me out of here eventually. Right, Tsuki? (No response) Tsuki? (Curses in Egyptian) Ra! I forgot… she's in the story now… hm. I could be here a while… sigh. Let's just move on. What's done is done!

Thanks/responses:

Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight, Aqua girl 007, Khemet- Egyptian vampire, Cometflight525, littlekuribohlover, Angel's Riot(x3 or 4), fan person, **& **Miyu k!  
>The Trio of Twilight<strong>: Aw, thank you! That's a real compliment you put out there X) thanks for the title suggestion!

**Aqua girl 007**: thanks ^-^ I do enjoy my Hikari and Tsuki.

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: You're welcome, and I'd be glad too! Making an FF account doesn't cost anything. When you type in , there are two things to click on in the top right corner: sign in and sign up. Click the sign up and you're halfway there! If you have any questions or need any help, I'd be happy to assist you ^o^ I'll help you with the ropes once you sign up.

**Cometflight525**: Yessiree, Tsuki and Hikari are quite pleased, which is why they aren't here. How dare I create a story that even I'm not sure how it's going to end :o

**Littlekuribohlover**: Ooo I like that. Mind if I put a little spin on it?

**Angel's Riot**: Welcome back! ;) You're one of the only ones who finds stuff I intend to be funny actually _funny_ sometimes_…_so thanks! ^o^ Mahad is my fave, in case anyone hasn't noticed that yet. You're totally right on the dog thing… hm. LOL, I'm glad you appreciate Yugi! And yes, poor Ryou! He'll get his limelight.

**Fan person**: haha—how dare your yami send me to the Shadow Realm! ^O^

**Miyu k**: thanks! Mana is one of the most important people to Atem, _and _she's a Magician, so she's valuable. I love Atem :)

For favoriting this story: **inuyashaxkagome321 **and **ArcherAzzure**. For favoriting me: **Bluefire123!**

Alright, let's do this, despite the gloom of the Shadow Realm… *o*

* * *

><p><em>Back to the Afterlife<em>

Atem awoke early that morning, tiptoeing down the stairs. He didn't want to wake anyone.

He wore dull black trousers, an off-white muscle-tee, soft leather boots and his usual gold accessories on his wrists, upper arms and neck. Swung about him was his deep blue cape turned cloak, and around his shoulders was a leather bag containing his diadhank.

He was almost to the door when a voice stopped him, "And where do you think you're going?"

Atem sighed and turned to the younger man standing at the foot of the stairs. He was folding his arms, a frown on his face and violet eyes rather angry. Atem mirrored him. Neither said a word.

"I'm going, Yugi," Atem finally said, "I shouldn't be here." His features turned ragged, "I have to find Mana. I _have _to. I need to."

Yugi gave in, dropping his arms as Atem's head drooped. He moved closer, setting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about Mana, Atem, really," he said quietly, "But you can't blame yourself for that. We'll get her back. I want to get her back too. She was a good friend to me. I can't relate to your feelings, but I can_ feel_ your feelings." He paused, and Atem looked up. Yugi smiled slightly in encouragement.

Atem took a deep breath, attempting a smile and mostly failing. "It just feels like…" he stopped.

Yugi nodded. "I know—like half your heart has been ripped out. You feel guilty—don't. It's the Orichalcos all over again," he whispered. "It's _not _your fault."

Atem closed his eyes. "I still need to go."

"Not without me," Yugi protested at once.

The Pharaoh shook his head, pleading, "No, Yugi. Please."

"Why not?" Yugi demanded, "You don't want my help?"

"I do, Yugi," Atem said quickly, "It's just too dangerous for you. Erebus wants you as well. I can't…" he looked away, and his voice cracked, "I can't lose you, too."

Yugi felt his heart reach out. He put a comforting arm around his shoulders, "Atem, you won't. You've got to trust me on that. I'm here to help you. That's what you and I do, isn't it? We help each other."

"I know, Yugi," Atem said quietly, "I-I just can't risk it."

Yugi tried to hold off his anger. He wished Atem would let him help.

Atem pulled away, turning back to the door. "I have to go, Yugi."

The Pharaoh's figure flickered.

Atem felt it and his head darted back to Yugi, who was holding up Atem's cartouche, letting it dangle. "This probably still has that spell Mahad put on it."

Atem, reluctantly, had to agree. He silently held out a hand for it. "I'm going back either way, Yugi. You might as well give it to me."

Yugi held the cartouche in a clenched fist, wrapping the chain around Atem's wrist and then doing it around his own. Atem stopped flickering, and he cocked his head at his young friend slightly, eyebrows arching and inclining inward fractionally.

"Where you go, I go," Yugi said definitely.

* * *

><p>When the others went downstairs a few hours later, they found Atem and Yugi talking quietly on the couch. Yugi had elected not to leave Atem alone, otherwise he would be out of there in a flash, what with his cartouche safely back around his neck.<p>

About an hour before noon, everyone who was well enough went out on another hunt for Bakura. Mai and Ryou were the only ones who stayed behind to tend the few others who were still injured. They split up: Yugi and Atem, Tsuki, Hikari and Tea, and Tristan, Joey and Duke—which probably wasn't the best combination.

They each went different directions and decided to meet up later that evening. It was a long and tireless search, and as seemed to be the usual, they found neither hide nor hair of Bakura or his army. Around six that evening, they met up in Domino Square with reports on their progress.

"Bakura is good," Atem said, folding his arms, "He won't be found easily."

"We can still try," Yugi sighed.

They talked amongst themselves, standing in a rough circle. Yugi glanced at Atem. He hadn't said a word for several minutes—he wore his cloak and that leather bag again, prepared for travel. He turned his full attention to the Pharaoh as he saw him staring off into the distance, obviously focusing on something. Atem branched off from the others, going around the group, towards an alleyway.

Yugi followed quickly. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure," Atem muttered. He quickened his pace, Yugi hurrying to catch up to his long strides. They stopped at the alley mouth, Atem throwing his arm out to stop Yugi from going further. His eyes were searching the area, narrowed and suspicious. "There's something here."

The rest of the group had followed them curiously. Tsuki, being rather clueless when it came to danger, stepped up beside Atem and looked around wonderingly. They hadn't spoken about how Atem knew her—he wasn't quite sure how to put it yet, and she obviously wasn't ready.

"What's down here?" she wondered, stepping forward.

"No, Tsuki, don't!" Atem cried, seizing her arm.

They vanished.

Yugi stumbled forward blindly, "Atem!" As he stumbled forward, Tea screeched and grabbed him in an attempt to pull him back, and they too disappeared.

It was a chain reaction from there: Hikari ran hastily after her best friend, and Duke (the flirt), followed her so that they were suddenly gone as well. Duke and Hikari had knocked Joey and Tristan off their feet, and then they were falling, automatically grabbing each other before they were gone just as fast and sudden as the others.

* * *

><p>Atem shook himself, opening his eyes. What had happened? One minute he had been trying to stop Tsuki and the next he was here.<p>

He pushed himself into a sitting position and glanced around. Tsuki was sprawled on her stomach several feet away. He sighed; Tsuki had always been curious and a bit clueless at times. _It must be her, _he thought, _her reincarnation, maybe, but still her._ Everything she said and did pointed to the fact that it was indeed the Tsuki he had known in Egypt. Now one question remained: how was he going to tell her?

Well, two questions, actually, the second one being: where were they?

Atem thought he recognized the surroundings. The Afterlife? Had they really reappeared by Tastan's kingdom?

Another thought hit him: what were they others thinking? Had they followed them? Were they lost somewhere, too?

_Yugi,_ he thought quickly, opening the mind-link further, _Can you hear me? Where are you?_ He got no response. _Yugi? Yugi!_

He tried to breathe. He tried to relax. He had to trust that Yugi could take care of himself without Atem around to baby-sit him—Yugi was perfectly capable of defending himself. He only hoped he and the others hadn't followed them through the veil in the alley.

_Erebus must be behind this, _he thought angrily: _He told me to find help and then I could come back. Did he mean Tsuki or Yugi?_ He shook his head. _Surely he doesn't know about Tsuki. He must have meant Yugi._ That thought sent a thrill of fear running up his spine. Erebus wanted Yugi. Atem wished he would stop putting those he cared about in danger. It really was a nasty habit.

He got to his feet, pulling the diadhank from the leather bag and slipping it on his wrist. He knelt down beside the unconscious girl, shaking her, "Tsuki, wake up." He shook her again, and slowly, she came to.

"Where are we?" she asked as soon as she was alert, getting to her feet.

"We're in the Afterlife."

"Where?"

"The World of the Dead," Atem said, looking high for his bearings. The marshlands Tastan occupied were a gloomy place normally, but today the sky was a dull blue, scattered with puffy gray-white clouds. For a swamp area, it was surprisingly nice out.

"Excuse me?" exclaimed Tsuki.

Surrounding them were sparse, grubby trees and bushes. The ground was covered in mossy grass and pebbles. There was a distinct smell, along with the sounds of frogs croaking. As soon as Atem gathered which way he had to head, due west, he began walking.

"Whoa, whoa," Tsuki said quickly, catching up to him, "You can't just tell me we're in the 'World of the Dead' and walk off like that. I expect an explanation!"

Atem nodded, "And you deserve one, but you must first be prepared to accept the extreme."

"I think I'm ready," Tsuki said, "We're in the 'Afterlife' as you put it and strangely I'm not exactly surprised. You're a Pharaoh, aren't you?"

Atem glanced at her, "Yes, how did you know that?"

Tsuki shrugged, "It was the first thing I said when I saw you. That's what everyone else calls you other than Yugi. What's your story?"

"Are you ready for the extreme?"

She nodded, "Go."

"You know I'm a Pharaoh," he checked and she nodded, "A literal Pharaoh. I ruled Egypt."

Tsuki nodded again: "For some reason that seems familiar to me. Yesterday you acted like you knew me. Why?"

"Because you were a childhood friend in Egypt," Atem explained, "So let's play a game: how old do you think I am?"

"Well… you look like you're maybe sixteen, seventeen… but your eyes say you're older. Twenties?" she shook her head to herself, "No. You look it, but you're older—and a literal Pharaoh, so… a thousand years?"

"Higher."

"Two?"

"Higher."

"Three?"

"Almost."

"Four?"

"Nearly there."

"_Five-thousand?"_

"Yes. I'm five-thousand years old."

"Why does that sound familiar?" she frowned in frustration, "Are you saying I… I'm as old as you are?" she looked on in horror.

Atem couldn't help but laugh. "Your spirit is. I'd say you're a reincarnation."

Tsuki blinked, "Goodness, that's a lot to take in…"

Atem eyed her, "You're not going to pass out on me, are you?"

Tsuki shook her head slowly, "I don't think so. Where are we going now?"

"To rescue my wife's soul," Atem said softly.

"Your wife?" Tsuki whispered. "Her soul? Hang on, I'm still not quite sure what's going on."

So Atem told her. He told her everything: about Hamon being Erebus and Zorc's (what was left of him) puppet, how he was after Atem, Yugi, his wife's and a dear friend and powerful Magician's soul in order to resurrect him permanently. The walk was long, and telling her everything took most of the time. Finally, he took a long, deep breath: "Does that make sense, or was it too complicated?"

"No, I think I got it," Tsuki said, putting her hands behind her head. "Hamon puppet of evil demon guy named Erebus, who works for the bits and pieces of the creator of the Shadow Realm, some freaky dragon-beast-dude named Zorc—wants revenge, your soul, the usual—oh, man!" she suddenly exclaimed: "What do you think happened to the others?"

"I don't know," Atem muttered. "I hope they're alright." He had tried to contact Yugi several times and gotten no answer. He hoped they were all safe.

* * *

><p><strong>I apologize for the cliffhanger, really! But again, it's almost two-thirty and I have school. I <em>promise <em>I'll update twice tomorrow, if that's any consolation. If I don't, get mad at me!**

**Review! Constructive critisism, guys! I can take it!  
><strong>

**-Anevay**


	32. Due West

**Disclaimer: Let's get this straight—I do _not _own Yu-Gi-Oh. (Unfortunately) And _please _read at least the Author's note!**

AUTHOR'S NOTE!: Two chap updates today, peoples! Are you excited? Also, _**IMPORTANT NOTICE**_: I've got a name change idea for this story—or rather, two—Shadowy Crusade & The Dark Crusade. Let's vote on it, shall we? I don't care which one, so it's up to you, reviewers!

Thanks/responses:

Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight, Aqua girl 007, Cometflight525, fan person,** **Khemet- Egyptian vampire, princess atemma **& **jak dragon!**

**Cometflight525**: Tsuki is pretty awesome ;) she's had her fair share of weirdness. The Shadow Realm is quite interesting, actually—kind of like a mix between a graveyard and a 'purple cloud' as you put it haha! So yes, how dare I stop where I did! :O

**Fan person**: Whoo! I'm FREEE! Not that I didn't enjoy my little trip or anything… thanks Atem ^O^ I have to agree that your yami rather sucks haha. I don't blame them for wanting to send me to the Shadow Realm. I'm kind of annoying lol! How dare Atem try to send me to the Shadow Realm :P

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: You're welcome! Dang that sucks :P what email service do you use? Oh, I'll look in to the book! Story advice, well let's see… I'd have to know the circumstances your character is in and where you want your story to go to help you out effectively. I always find that the gang usually bonds with people who help them out, but hey, that's me! Shippings are always are to remember :P there's a master shipping list somewhere (if anyone wants that link) MaTem… I dunno. I'm sure I'd warm up to it eventually. I just try to remember my favorite shippings: vaseshipping, aweshipping, peachshipping, polarshipping, etc. ^o^ you know, I'd totally give you my email to send me any idea you have, but I dunno if anyone would send me weird emails and stalk me lol!

**Jak dragon**: Oh, I totally agree, but I haven't experimented much with duels :P let me play with it for a while before I actually post something with a duel :)

I also want to thank **kaya croft **for adding me to their favorite authors and author alerts! XD thanks much!

One more thing, fellas—I've posted another story. The description says it all! Read Return to You if you enjoy vaseshipping, a good tragedy, and just plain like me! ;D thanks!

Anywho, let's march! Hup two, three, four…

* * *

><p><em>Due West<em>

"Tell me about your wife," Tsuki prompted suddenly.

They had been walking for a long time, and the border of the dimension seemed no closer than before. He was sure there would be a door of some sort, possibly, _something _to mark the spot. Honestly, how else was anyone going to be able to tell?

Atem glanced at Tsuki, who raised her eyebrows expectantly. "Alright," Atem agreed, "Actually, you know her, but you don't remember…" he trailed off, "Her name is Mana. She's a Magician. Her favorite color is red," he smiled, "She's very cheerful and peppy—excited, in a word. She always seemed so innocent," his voice grew softer, "But she is much more than that. She's brave, loyal, kind, fun, and one of my best friends."

Tsuki smiled. The Pharaoh was completely immersed in his thoughts about her. It was obvious that he loved her more than he could say.

"When did we first meet?" she asked then.

The Pharaoh grinned. Tsuki reminded him of Mana with her hyperactive attitude, jumping from one question to another. He stopped in his tracks, thinking, and Tsuki stopped beside him. He turned to her, "Close your eyes, Tsuki. I'm going to show you something."

"Show me something?" she asked in confusion.

In response, a symbol appeared on his forehead. Tsuki gasped, "That eye! It's on my arm!"

The gold millennium eye tattoo on her shoulder glowed. "Close your eyes, Tsuki," the Pharaoh said softly. "This will help you remember."

Meeting his even amethyst gaze with her emerald one, and she obediently closed her eyes.

* * *

><p>Yugi groaned, rolling over onto his back. Above him was a dull blue sky covered in clouds. The sun peeked through at once point, blinding him. He covered his eyes, looking to the side, and that was when he saw Tea lying not two feet from him.<p>

"Tèa!" he touched her shoulder, peering at her in concern. When her blue eyes opened, they found a large violet pair over her. Yugi helped her sit up, "Are you alright?"

She rubbed her head, "I think so. Are you okay, Yugi?"

"I'm fine, Tèa," he said dismissively, glancing around.

Tea followed his gaze. "Where are we?"

"I think we're in the Afterlife," he muttered uncertainly. "I guess it makes sense. Erebus wanted Atem to come back here. I bet that trap was for us."

"But now you're separated," Tea sighed, "I hope they're okay. You don't think the others followed, do you?"

"I think they might have," Yugi admitted, "Hikari would have wanted to go after Tsuki, and Joey and Tristan would have wanted to come after us."

"What about Duke?"

"What _about _Duke?" Yugi grinned, "He probably followed Hikari. He's been hitting on her and Tsuki since he met them."

Tea laughed, despite their circumstances. Together, they rose. Yugi closed his eyes, thinking: _Atem, where are you?_

Tea waited patiently. Yugi did too. There was no reply.

Yugi sighed, shaking his head, "Nothing."

Tea squeezed his shoulder, "What do we do, then, Yugi?"

Yugi scratched his head, "I'm not really sure. I guess we could…" he trailed off and looked down at his duel disk with a grin, "Call for some back up." He slapped a card on the duel disk, "Come forth, Curse of Dragon!"

The dragon flew overhead, landing before them with a soft screech. Yugi nodded in satisfaction, "If I know Atem, he'll be heading west to find Mana. We've got to find him and the others."

Yugi mounted the dragon, with Tea clambering up behind him and wrapping her arms firmly around Yugi's waist, making him blush. He wasn't complaining.

* * *

><p>Hikari shot to her feet as soon as she woke. She was a hyper child to say the least.<p>

"_Where's Tsuki?_" she exclaimed, and cupped her hands around her mouth,letting free a long drawn out cry for her best friend: _"Tsuki!"_

Duke's hands flew to his ears as the sound of Hikari's voice jolted him awake. _"Whoa!"_ he exclaimed, "Calm down!"

"I will not _calm down, _Duke Devlin!"Hikari yelled, "We're _lost _in some _freaky swamp_ and you tell me to _calm down?"_

Duke shot to his feet, "Oh, gosh, please, Hikari, let's get along for once!"

"You're impossible!" Hikari stormed unreasonably, turning off in a random direction. Duke ran after her, seizing her hand, which she jerked away, "Don't _even _try to hold my hand!"

"I'm not!" Duke said, backing off and holding his hands in the air and speaking sourly, "I'm just trying to help. If you run off we'll never get anywhere. You could get lost."

Hikari steamed. She had to admit that she had been a little harsh on Duke, and he _was _right. "Then what do _you _suggest we do?"

"I think we should try and figure out where we are first," Duke said, hands still in the air, "And let's not _yell, _okay?"

Hikari folded her arms moodily. "Fine."

Together, but still separated by several feet, they picked a direction and went exploring.

* * *

><p>It was only natural, it seemed, that Joey and Tristan were lost, confused, and fighting.<p>

"This is all your fault!"

"_My _fault? How is this _my _fault? What if I think it's _your _fault? _Huh, Joey?"_

"Don't you go pointin' fingers, Tristan! We gotta find a way outta here! Heck, we gotta find out _where _we are!"

"Then stop _yelling!" _Tristan bellowed, holding Joey in a head lock. Joey gurgled out an incoherent reply, so Tristan let him fall to the ground with a yelp. "I'm sorry, Joey, what was that?" he asked mockingly.

Joey leapt to his feet, fist poised for Tristan's face and a vein pulsing on his forehead, "I said, _you're choking me!"_

"Oh, like this?"

Tristan yanked Joey into a full nelson. They had been fighting for more than ten minutes now—which strangely enough, was probably a good thing. Overhead, they heard laughing. Tristan dropped Joey again, looking up.

"Hey, guys!" Yugi called, waving.

"Yugi!" they both called.

Curse of Dragon landed, and the gang beamed at their reuniting. "Hey, Yug, where are we?" Joey asked.

"We're in the Afterlife," Yugi said, "I've been here before. Did Hikari and Duke come here too?"

Tristan nodded, "It's their fault we're here at all. As soon as Tsuki disappeared, Hikari went after her, so Duke went after _her, _knocking _us _down, and so here we are." He held out his arms in a broad gesture before dropping them.

Yugi and Tea exchanged a grin. It was almost exactly the scenario Yugi had described. "Alright then, we've got to find them. Let's go."

The four got on the back of Curse of Dragon and took off in search of the others. Luckily, it wasn't long before they found them.

"Stop telling me what to do!" came Hikari's voice.

"Stop yelling at me! I'm just making suggestions!" replied Duke, obviously heated. "Why can't you just stop fighting with me?"

"Because I don't _like _you!"

"Ouch."

"I'm sure you've heard worse."

Duke seemed to be nodding, "Yeah, I have. From Joey and Tristan, actually."

"You poor rich player."

"Hey! I am _not _a player!"

"Then if you're not a player, you're a flirt."

"What makes you say that?"

"You hit on every girl I see you with! I know your kind, Duke Devil. Don't think I don't know what you're doing!"

"I'm not doing _anything! _Duke _Devil? _Ow. That's even worse than before."

"And yet you haven't yelled at me."

"I don't yell at girls."

"At least that's one good quality about you."

Duke was about to reply when Curse of Dragon screeched loudly, effectively ending the argument. "Hey, lovebirds!" called Joey, "Quit arguin' and hop on!"

Hikari and Duke glared at one another before mounting the dragon. Yugi frowned, "Maybe we need another ride."

"I've got it, Yug!" Joey grinned, slapping a card of his own on his duel disk. "Come on out, Red Eyes!" Red spots appeared high in the air before the whole black body of Red Eyes Black Dragon appeared, turning its hard eyes on the group below.

"I call a window seat!"

"They're all window seats, Tristan." Joey said, mounting his dragon with Tristan behind. Duke climbed on behind, while Hikari sat behind Tea.

Tristan grinned, giving Yugi a thumbs-up. "You're my hero, Yug!"

Yugi rolled his eyes and blushed. "Let's go! We're heading west!"

* * *

><p><strong>We got some action with the gang! ^o^<strong>

**Don't worry, another chapter up soon. I promised two updates, and two updates there shall be.**

**Review! X)**

**-Anevay**


	33. Tsuki's Memories

**Disclaimer: nope, Yu-Gi-Oh ain't mine. That's probably obvious already.**

Author's note: Another reminder—new title for this story: Shadowy Crusade or The Dark Crusade? Vote now! XD

* * *

><p><em>Tsuki's Memories<em>

Tsuki had her eyes tight shut.

"Look inside yourself, Tsuki," the Pharaoh said softly, "I can only help you find your memories."

Look inside herself?

_Well, here goes_, she thought.

Was what he said really the truth? Could she really be a five-thousand year old spirit, reincarnated? Something inside her told her it was true. What other explanation was there for the fact that it seemed so familiar, so utterly normal?

Clearly, it wasn't supposed to be normal. And yet it was.

A scene leapt before her very eyes.

It was her, only it _wasn't _her. She looked about ten years old, and she was playing with two others her age in a grand gold palace.

There was a girl with long spiky brown hair, wearing a short off-white dress and a matching cap on her head. She was barefoot. She had big aquamarine-green eyes, tanned skin and an excited air about her.

_That must be Mana, _Tsuki thought, realizing how familiar she looked. The longer her face loomed there, the more she remembered about her.

Beside Mana was the Pharaoh—only he was younger. It was the same case looking at him as it had been looking at Mana; the longer she gazed and thought, the more she remembered about him. As she looked at them, the Pharaoh grinned.

"Ready to play tag, Tsuki?"

When she nodded, smiling eagerly, Mana reached over and touched her left shoulder—where the gold tattoo was. "Good," she exclaimed, "Because you're it!"

All three laughed, racing off, and the vision faded to be replaced with another.

"Dad, you can't keep me here!"

It was Tsuki herself again, storming around a large room with a tall man. Tsuki estimated that she was about sixteen here.

The man remained stern. The heated past-Tsuki continued: "I haven't seen Mana and the Prince in years! You used to let me play with them all the time. Why can't I go to the Crowning Ceremony? I _want _to," she pleaded, somehow forcing her narrow green eyes larger, "I _should. _It's respectful. I'm a Princess, and you're a King! Isn't it right that we should go and pay our respects? _Please?_ It means the world to me! I'll do whatever you want!"

Her father looked away. "No, Tsuki."

"_What?" _she gasped, "Give me a reason!"

"It's not safe!" he finally exclaimed, "There are people there who want to harm the new Pharaoh. Those associated with him are in a position of danger. That's why I have kept you from him. He harbors a dangerous secret: he holds shadow powers, Tsuki. Shadow powers that others seek. His name must be unsaid, even be kept a secret, and why?" he shook his head, "It is surely a curse. A no-name Pharaoh with shadow powers. It does not bode well."

"But you let me play with him plenty of times before!"

"That was before I realized what these signs meant," he said, turning away, "You're not going, Tsuki, and that's final."

He left the room, leaving a steaming Tsuki behind him. "We'll see about that," she muttered darkly.

The vision switched again.

Tsuki was riding a dark horse from her father's palace at full speed, towards Egypt, where the Prince would be crowned Pharaoh the following evening. She had to be there. She knew he would let her in, give her a place to stay—she could see Mana again. The Prince and Mana had been some of her only _real _friends.

All her father's fault for not letting her see them anymore because he thought the Prince was 'cursed.' He was anything but. If anything, he was the kindest person she had ever met. Determined and confident, she was sure he would make an excellent Pharaoh.

She heard horses behind her. People calling out. Her father's own trusted court, and surely the soldiers, the captain of the guard and such—the works. She pushed the horse to greater speeds. "Come on," she muttered, "We've got to out run them. Just for a little while."

Responding to her reassuring touch, the horse's speed increased, hooves making little noise on the sand. She was glad her horse was one of the fastest and most reliable.

Reaching an oasis minutes later, she ducked inside, pulling the horse behind her and leading him to water, where he drank sparsely like a good horse and began munching on the leaves of trees. Tsuki crept towards the edge, watching the priests and soldier's horses gallop past, a ways off from her. She breathed out an easy sigh of relief, turning back to retrieve her horse rather cockily.

"What did I tell you about getting cocky?"

Tsuki spun around, "Hikari?"

_Hikari? _Tsuki thought, _I knew Hikari before?_

Sure enough, there was Hikari, stepping out into the moonlight. Her short silvery hair glittered. She wore the robes of Tsuki's father's court, having obtained it mere years before. She was slightly older than Tsuki, but Tsuki considered her one of her closest friends. They had known each other for so long. Tsuki had been wrong when thinking that Mana and the Prince had been her only real friends—Hikari was one of them. She was intensely loyal to Tsuki.

"Are you going to take me back?" Tsuki asked warily.

To her surprise, Hikari shook her head, smiling, "No. I was going to tell you good luck and be careful. Your father was _sort _of right in saying that people want to hurt the new Pharaoh."

"It's always that way," Tsuki said pointedly.

Hikari nodded. "Yeah, but for some reason it's even more so with this one."

"Why?"

Hikari shrugged, grinning, "How should I know? I'm just a priestess."

Tsuki snorted, "Do you have another route to the Palace or not?"

Hikari gave her the map, embracing her, "Be careful, okay?"

Tsuki nodded, "I will, Hikari. Thanks. You're the best."

"I know," Hikari winked.

Tsuki watched herself reach the Palace of Egypt a bit before dawn. When the gates to the Palace opened, admitting her as she proclaimed who she was, the Prince's Guardians were there to help her. The vision skipped ahead, fading before coming back into view.

She was face to face with the Pharaoh and Mana now, both beaming at her and asking question after question, to which she laughed and responded: "One at a time, one at a time! There's plenty of Tsuki to go around."

Her vision dulled to the sound of their laughter, and then the scene changed, coming in flashes. She watched the Crowning Ceremony, sat at the banquet, hung around with Mana while the Pharaoh was busy, and returned to her chambers at night.

Tsuki could feel the memories coming to an end. Slowly they had all flowed back as she watched bits and pieces of her previous life. Why would they be ending?

Tsuki watched herself again, lying in the guest chambers. Someone snuck in through the window, creeping towards her slumbering figure…

She tried to cry out to herself. She knew why the memories were coming to an end.

The figure held something glittering in his hand. He drew it up over her…

Everything went black, and slowly came back again. She saw herself limping through the corridors. She remembered now: she had taken the knife and killed the man, a man her father had trusted, though he had obviously not been trustworthy—unless her father had done it to her.

She had killed the man, but not before he had nearly killed her.

At the Pharaoh's chamber door, she pounded uselessly, sliding down the wall. Footsteps came running, and then the Pharaoh's voice exclaimed: _"Tsuki!"_

She peered up at him blearily, smiling and, oddly, chuckling. "Pharaoh," she managed, reaching weekly. He knelt down beside her, eyes wide with horror. "Can you… can you do something for me?"

"Of course," he whispered. Tsuki could see that he knew she could not be saved, even with Egypt's doctors. The wounds were too numerous and too deep. The thought brought tears to his eyes, but he blinked them away. She remembered that, too: he never cried.

"Find out something for me," she said desperately, "Find out why that man killed me. A man my-my father trusted. Find out of it was my father who did this to me, Pharaoh. Tell me when we meet again."

He clasped her hand, head bowed, "I will, Tsuki."

The memories ended.

Tsuki's eyes opened, and she blinked at the sudden reality of sunlight. She looked at the Pharaoh: "Did he?" she whispered, "Did my father do that to me?"

"No, Tsuki," Atem assured her softly, "The man acted on his own."

Tsuki nodded in relief. "Thanks."

"How do you feel?"

"Like I just ate too much brain food and now it's about to explode."

Atem laughed, "You'll sort it out. I had the same feeling when I got my memories back."

"You lost your memories?"

"A story for another time," he said quickly, "We've got to keep moving. I have to get Mana back."

"Alright, where we heading?" she puffed, her head reeling with all the past memories.

"West. It's time to rescue Mana."

* * *

><p><strong>Da, da, da! Don't hate me -_- I'm tired. Again! And I feel sick :P time for Anevay to go get some rest, otherwise I might get sick and not be able to write! <em>The horror!<em>**

**Review!**

**-Anevay**


	34. Help from a god

**Disclaimer: Again? Does the constant repeating of 'I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh' mean anything to you?**

Author's note: As you can see, the name of the story has been changed to The Dark Crusade. Bit more creative. Anywho, hope you're not angry with me and let's get _clacking!_

Thanks/responses/blah, blah:

Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight, Aqua girl 007, jak dragon(x3), fan person, littleduribohlover, me **& **Khemet- Egyptian vampire.**

**Jak dragon**: I might could, depending on if the need arose. I'll consider your suggestion ;) thanks for pointing out that it was a suggestion! I remembered that you wanted to see some Red Eyes action, so that one was for you.

**Fan person**: dang. Now we're both in the Shadow Realm—and it's not like _Atem _is gonna get us out, since he's the one who sent us here (sighs and sits down), well, good thing I've got my laptop! How dare you send us to the Shadow Realm, Atem! Get your yami over here, fan person! I'll see if I can pull Tsuki out to get us out of the story momentarily… _Tsuki!_ … she says she's _busy _cause she's in this chapter. Woman! Oh well. Guess we'll just sit and enjoy the comforts of the Shadow Realm… -_-

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: I like the idea for the fic! Sounds exciting X) setting up an email isn't too hard—just go to hotmail or gmail, yahoo or something or other email site and click sign up. Not too hard and don't cost a thing! Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the YGO/RH fic, promise! It's probably my next big project on here… though it might be a bit before I get it up. Anywhoo, thanks for reviewing as always.

**Littlekuribohlover**: I will check out your story! Though it may be a while, sorry. First question: I only watch the original :) the original is the best. Second question: I play the card game slightly, but not very well. I will not take a break until this story is complete! X)

**Me**: sorry, too late :( I really wanted to. It's not really the return of the Pharaoh. It's more of a war.

For alerting this story: **Bellaangelz **& **Starren Moonstone. **And for favoriting: **Descendents' Eyes **&** JohnCenaWWEGirl.**

In other thanks, I would like to say gracias to **Nick-Arach, Aqua girl 007, ArcherAzzure, Velgamidragon & Midna Azusa **for adding my one-shot, _Return to You,_ to their favorites! And thanks to **Velgamidragon, Aqua girl 007, princess atemma, Midna Azusa **and **Nick-Arach** for being the so-far only reviewers on my tragedy _Return to You_. Yes, it is a tragedy, though I _may _elaborate on it… depending. Read it if you like, I've heard it's very good ;)

Here we go, writing in the Shadow Realm… (Glances around uncertainly, sees Fan Person curled up and bored) this isn't exactly the first time this has happened. On we go!

* * *

><p><em>Help from a god<br>_

As soon as night fell, Atem summoned a gold dragon with a large head and big silver-clawed feet. Its chest was feathered with sharp gold spines, and the eyes were a piercing green. To be honest, the thing scared Tsuki, but Atem assured her that he was quite safe.

She eyed the silver spines on its shoulders and at the tips of its wings, highly doubting that this thing was safe. The huge dragon beat its wings, rising into the air and coasting speedily and smoothly through the air. She could barely tell it was moving except when it flapped its wings to gain height.

"What is this thing?" she asked.

"It's called the Victory Dragon," he said, "Do you duel, Tsuki?"

"Yeah, I duel."

"What's your prime monster?"

Tsuki was surprised. So far the Pharaoh hadn't made much conversation. She hadn't known he dueled, either, and that came as a pleasant surprise.

"Black Flame Soldier," she said, "Eight stars, twenty-eight hundred attack points and twenty-four hundred defense points."

"Do you have an inferno deck, then?"

"Yep. I also use Flame Champion, Fire Swordsman, Flame Magician, Fire Knight, Lady Phoenix…" she trailed off, realizing she was babbling, "You duel, too?"

Atem smiled to himself, since Tsuki couldn't see his face from behind, "Yes, I duel a bit."

"Maybe you and I could duel sometime."

"Now _that _I would agree to," he said rather enthusiastically. "And maybe one of these days I'll tell you how I lost my memories and how I got them back."

"It _would _be good to catch up," Tsuki agreed. She had finally accepted her past, somehow managing to absorb it all. "What's your prime monster?"

"Depends," Atem said, scanning the area around him systematically, "I've been known to use Dark Magician, Magician of Black Chaos, Dark Magician Girl, Black Luster Soldier, Sorcerer of Dark Magic, Dark Paladin, Valkyrion the Magnet Warrior, Jack's Knight, Queen's Knight, King's Knight, Dark Magician Knight, Gai the Swift Knight, Kuriboh, the God Cards: Slifer the Sky Dragon, Obelisk the Tormentor, the Winged Dragon of Ra." He shrugged.

Tsuki's mouth gaped. "But wait a second! Those are all cards Yugi has used!"

"I take it you're a fan of the King of Games?"

"Who isn't?"

"At one point Yugi and I were both the King of Games. We won that title together."

"What do you mean?"

"That's another one of those while-I-didn't-have-my-memories stories."

Tsuki laughed, "Then you better get talking, mister!"

Atem suddenly turned serious as he peered ahead, "Another time, Tsuki, we have other tasks."

Tsuki followed his line of sight, her smile fading. At the foot of the mountain was a huge pair of doors, just sitting there. She was sure they had arrived at his intended destination. The Dimension of Stolen Souls, he had called it. The place where Hamon and Erebus sent souls.

Someone was waiting for them at the gate.

The Victory Dragon landed, and they dismounted. As they approached the figure, the Pharaoh suddenly stood straighter, walking more dignified and regally. Standing before the man, Atem fell to one knee before him, head bowed reverently. "Lord Osiris," he said, "It is an honor to be in your presence."

Realizing who she was facing as old memories were recalled, Tsuki too bowed in the same manner as Atem. Osiris gazed at the two, arms folded. "Stand," he ordered in a low voice. They did so slowly, looking at him wonderingly.

Osiris was tall; easily taller than seven feet. He looked like a normal man, however: he wore long white robes, much gold and the tall White Crown of Upper Egypt coupled with another crown that neither Atem nor Tsuki recognized. His skin, however, had a strange green tint to it as if often did in colored pictures of the god.

"Pharaoh," he said, piercing Egyptian eyes on the king, "I have come to give you aid. You face great threats that must fall. Anubis," he scowled, "has taken a side I do not approve of. The Underworld should be regulated and kept under control, but Anubis disagrees, as if often the case with you. He still wants his revenge. It is a childish contest, but he gave Hamon that cursed ring, as you know, and it was taken by Erebus as soon as he was free and able. He is one of the greatest of demons."

"He grew up learning to worship the Dark One, Zorc. He was killed at a young age, which had been planned, and then delivered to Zorc to be trained. When Zorc fell, he was tutored under the remains of the Dark One. He grew in the Dark World, or the Underworld, and worshipped Zorc," he sighed, "He still does."

Atem nodded. "What must I do to stop him?"

"I can only offer you so much aid," Osiris cautioned, "I can give you twelve more hours to find Mana, but _only _Mana. The other souls shall be released upon defeat of Erebus. You are in need of Mana." The god glanced at the enormous doors behind him, "You shall have twenty-four hours to find her soul and return to the door, and only then will you be allowed to leave. Twelve hours in there is enough to drive you mad," he said, turning back to them, "It was created to hold those that were never meant to be. Mistakes. My anger at Anubis for allowing something to _access _this dimension cannot be described. Souls are there that should not be."

The Pharaoh took a deep breath. "And if I don't get back in twenty-four hours?"

Osiris' piercing eyes bore deep into his, "The entire world falls. Anubis, Zorc, and Erebus win. You cannot let this happen."

"I won't," Atem assured him, "You have my word."

Osiris then turned his gaze on Tsuki, "You, Princess Tsuki, must remain here. It is up to you to hold this door and ensure that the Pharaoh is able to exit the dimension—you must also ensure that nothing else enters or leaves. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Tsuki said quietly.

Osiris waved a hand over Atem's head, lips moving without making a sound. "My blessing gives you those additional twelve hours. I wish you luck. Do not fail."

Atem and Tsuki turned away, and the god was gone in a flash of brilliant light.

The Pharaoh approached the doors, the crunch of the dirt, rocks and sand under his feet the only sound in the dark silence. He glanced back at Tsuki, "You must summon your monsters to help you. Do you have your duel disk?"

Tsuki shook her head, so Atem tossed her his diadhank. "That's like a duel disk. Use it." He pushed open the huge doors a crack, letting free several swirls of dark colors, moving like wind. Inside was pure darkness. Inwardly, Atem shuddered. Mana was in there.

"Good luck, Pharaoh," Tsuki said quietly. "Be careful."

"I will," he whispered, "You too." And then he was gone, slipping through the doors and pushing them shut behind him with barely a sound.

Tsuki stared at the doors for a long time, willing both him and Mana to safety. Just thinking about the place gave her chills. She had felt the insanity and darkness inside from that simple breeze that had escaped.

Why was there so much darkness in the world and so little light?

Well, she would just have to provide some light.

She slipped the strange gold duel disk on her wrist, examining it. She sighed, "Thanks a lot, Pharaoh. Something I don't even know how to use."

* * *

><p><em>It's like a duel disk, <em>he'd said. Yeah right. The thing was more complicated than this whole freaking war.

She growled in frustration, plopping down on the ground and folding her arms with a huff. "Stupid thingy," she muttered. "_No _idea how to use the dang thing."

Something inside her, maybe her conscience, whispered _instinct._

Of course, she thought, smacking her head with her palm. Her instinct and memories! "What was I thinking," she muttered, studying the thing again, "Thank you, conscience."

Closing her eyes, she concentrated. "Black Flame Soldier," she said, feeling for his familiar presence. She felt the gold duel disk move—metal sliding quickly across metal to make a strangely wonderful sound. Looking down, she found the previous one wing had opened to three. On one of the wings, in a single eye-shaped space, there was an image.

It was the familiar head-turned-and-down, arms-folded pose of the Black Flame Soldier.

She looked up and a beaming smile lit her face. She jumped to her feet, "No way! Black Flame Soldier? Is it really you?"

Black Flame Soldier didn't say anything. He stood with his arms folded, but he was grinning. He nodded, assuring her that it was really _him, the _Black Flame Soldier, her obsessive monster! It was too good to be true.

The Black Flame Soldier was dressed in red and black. On his head was a red, pointed helmet, and covering his eyes was the black portion of the helmet, hanging low to nearly touch the tip of his nose. He wore a red and white vest, a red cape, black shoulder wings, black pants, those cool white elbow guards—everything about him was perfect. Amazing detail. Incredible likeness.

He dropped his arms, waiting for instructions. Hesitantly, Tsuki reached out and touched his muscular arm. Her smile, if possible, grew wider. "You _are _real! Thank goodness I'm not hallucinating!"

Black Flame Soldier smiled.

"Alright, buddy," she said happily, "Let's get on guard duty!"

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the semi-cliffhanger. I know it may kill you. But I really do need more sleep :P I'm sorry for the sorry excuse for an excuse (if that made sense). I'm a little delusional right now, so you probably don't want me writing about an insanedark dimension of tortured/haunted/insane souls—it probably wouldn't make a stitch of sense. Did I mention the word insane?**

**Alright, question! What do _you _think the Dimension of Stolen Souls should look like?**

**There was something else… oh, yeah, the Black Flame Soldier is my friend's creation for me, so technically, I own that. She's the friend who's hikari is Hikari because I call her Hikari and she created her… anyway, I'm confusing myself. I'll make my avatar him later.  
><strong>

**Review and make sure you don't drive off a cliff!**

**-Anevay**


	35. Mana's Rescue

**Disclaimer: blah, blah, blah, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!**

Author's note: alrighty here we go… I gotta get this done! Not only for you, but for me and for the sake of my schooling. Thanks/responses!

Reviewers: **Chistarpax, Aira 000, **and **fan person.**

**Chistarpax**: thanks! I've been told I'm pretty good at character development. ;) my OC's are fun to write hehe. So thank you for your simple yet wonderful review!

**Fan person**: dang Zorc! Get out of here, no one likes you! When are we getting out of here, again? Come on, yami of fan person! Helloo? … curses. Man are we in a pickle… how dare Zorc be in the Shadow Realm, too! He's supposed to be in itty-bitty pieces… let's play a… a card game, yeah! We'll duel. That'll pass the time. ;)

Also thanks to **Khemet- Egyptian vampire **for adding me to their favorite authors! ^O^ Also thanks to **The Trio of Twilight **for favoriting my other story: Return to You.

Not much to say today, folks, except for the fact that the Shadow Realm is very creepy and I wish I had a bed—or even a chair to sit in. My bottom is quite uncomfortable. (Glances at fan person, who's about to say 'I'm bored' for the zillionth time) Don't even say it. At least we have communication outside—my trusty laptop! Too bad I have bad internet… anyway, forsaking the well-being of both me and fan person here in the Shadow Realm (ATEM!) I'll just update now.

* * *

><p><em>Mana's Rescue<em>

Yugi and the gang hadn't found any sign of Tsuki and the Pharaoh. They had been flying for hours, nearly a day, and still nothing.

Yugi had tried contacting the Pharaoh several times, but something was cutting into his communication. He was sure Atem had gone to save Mana. That was what he would do as soon as he entered the Afterlife—he hadn't admitted it to Yugi, but Atem knew Yugi could take care of himself, and Yugi knew that Atem knew, too. It was sort of an unspoken thing.

He sighed. Maybe Atem had already entered the Dimension of Stolen Souls, and that was what had been making it so he couldn't contact him. But if that was the case, how was he supposed to find him? It all seemed so hopeless.

He glanced behind him. Joey wasn't far behind, riding Red Eyes and keeping watch while Duke and Tristan were passed out on the dragon's back—they could sleep anywhere. Behind Yugi, Tea had fallen asleep, but Hikari kept a vigilant eye out for her friend. It was obvious she was upset, and Yugi couldn't blame her. He could barely sleep himself, thinking about Atem. They were practically brothers.

He _was _glad, however, that his other friends were safe. That was something to be grateful for, wasn't it?

* * *

><p>The Dimension of Stolen Souls was a lot like the Shadow Realm, Atem remarked eerily to himself. That brought back bad memories.<p>

He was supposed to find Mana in twenty-four hours and make it back here in all this darkness?

He could see why Osiris had given him the additional twelve. Already he was beginning to go mad.

Glancing behind him, he could see the vague outline of the doorway. It was slightly brighter than the surrounding area, so he was sure he would be able to spot it in all the gloom. But just in case, he touched it and said a silent spell. This way, he would be able to find it easier.

He took a deep breath. _Think about Mana, _he told himself. _She needs you._

That thought alone was enough to get him moving.

One step at a time, he advanced. As he grew accustomed to the darkness, he began to see small formations. His ears adapted to the silence, and he began hearing voices. His senses sharpened and he began to feel the misery and insanity of this dimension. His mind began to wander, and smells shoved themselves under his nose, neither pleasant nor unpleasant. Figures and shapes made themselves manifest to him. He could barely keep his thoughts straight.

Surely he was going insane.

_Mana, _he thought forcefully. _Just think about Mana. You don't want her to be in this awful madness. Remember Mana._

Her face came into his mind's eye, smiling at him in encouragement.

He shook his head. He had a task to complete.

It seemed that he walked forever, but slowly the world became open to him. Did that mean that he too was becoming a part of it? No. He couldn't afford to think like that. _Mana. Mana. Think of Mana. Sweet, beautiful, innocent Mana. Your best friend. Your wife._

Somehow he managed to keep his sanity.

His eyes scanned the area. He heard moaning and sobbing all around him. Perhaps they hadn't noticed him yet.

He kept walking, and suddenly they noticed him. They came up to him, tugged at his sleeves, pleaded with him—they were indistinct shadows, barely the form of humans. He could barely understand their words, as they flowed together uncertainly. He found he could understand a word here and there, but for the most part, he was deaf to them. Surely that was a good sign for him. That meant he was keeping his wits about him.

Still the sounds of the tortured battered him. More souls were drawn to him, trying to hold him back. Whether to harm him or to ask for help, he didn't know, and he didn't want to find out. His heart ached, and yes, he wanted to help them, but he couldn't. There was nothing he could do to help the poor people—_his _people—that were here.

Eventually he found himself speaking aloud: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I can't help you! Please, someone help me find Mana! She's a Magician," he pleaded unreasonably, pulling away, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

His agonizing tone of reasoning was not enough. They weren't satisfied with his apologies. They wanted him to help them. To set them free.

He hated that he couldn't help them. It was one of the worst feelings in the world.

"I'm sorry…" he murmured again, his mind wandering as he began to stumble under their weight. _NO, _he thought roughly, shaking himself free, _no, I will _not _be taken! I have a task to complete!_

He kicked his pace up to a jog, moving quickly between the shadowy spirits so that they eventually grew fainter. When he could only feel gentle breezes as they tugged at him, he knew he was safe, but still he didn't stop.

All the while, worries and aches pained him.

How was he supposed to find Mana?

What if she was one of these flitting shadows? Nothing more than a shape of who she used to be?

The thoughts horrified him, each growing darker and more treacherous and he trekked through the awful misery and torture that was the dimension of insanity. Before long, he was sure he would break down in sheer agony at the thought of Mana becoming of these awful shadowy figures. How would he ever get her back then? How was he supposed to find her?

As he jogged, a sob escaped his lips, but it was quickly smothered and his legs pumped faster until he was running. Then sprinting. Before long he couldn't hear the voices anymore. The weight of desolation lifted further. Mana was all that was on his mind now, keeping his mind and wits clear.

It was only when he felt a tug at his heart strings that he stopped.

Where had that come from?

Reluctantly, he let the sounds, shapes and smells grow lucid again. He kept his head straight with one thought: Mana.

The formations in the black area became distinct again. In all the darkness, he hadn't really felt like he was going anywhere; just running in place, sort of jogging to keep his mind clean. Logically he knew he was getting _somewhere_. He just didn't know where. He didn't know how far he had run either, but that was a minor detail.

Crying reached his ears.

Not a group of voices crying and moaning as before—just one voice. Sobbing and hiccupping. The sound made his heart ache. His heart pumping like never before, he stepped nearer to the sound, trying to find it. The people were now vague shapes, but he paid them no heed. He drew nearer to what appeared to be a cave. Inside was some sort of light-was that the source of the crying?

Atem drew in deeper breaths as he entered the cave, mind reeling. He felt his heart lighten.

The sobbing slowed, as if they sensed his presence. Inside the cave was a flickering form—the form of a girl in a red dress, curled up on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest and crying.

Atem's baritone voice came out rather breathlessly, "Mana?"

She hiccupped and turned around. For the first time in what felt ages, her aquamarine eyes locked with his. A choking cry of surprise made its way out of her throat, and she turned around completely, reaching for him.

He almost fell to his knees in relief. A few quick strides forward was all it took to bring her into his arms. Her hands claws at him and the sobbing started again. Her fingers locked in his hair, his shirt, held on to him with all her strength. Atem held her as tight as he could manage, rubbing her back and running his fingers through her hair.

Mana was shaking and crying, speaking inaudibly to him. Atem shushed her gently, "It's alright, Mana. I've got you. You're safe now. It's alright," he murmured, breathing in the familiar, warm scent of her. "I'm here."

Those two words were all Mana needed to hear, and her body completely relaxed into him. She still cried and hiccupped, but she no longer felt alone or afraid. "Atem," she whispered, looking up into his face and touching it with hers. Suddenly her eyes grew alarmed, "You're not stuck here too, are you?"

He hastily shook his head to assure her, "No, Mana, I came back for you."

He didn't know how much had passed since he had entered, but he was willing to bet that it was more than he thought. For all he knew, his twenty-four hours could be up.

"We need to go," he told her gently, and he scooped her into his arms. For once, she didn't protest, wrapping her arms and legs around him and hiding her face in his neck. He felt her hand in his hair, and her lips on his neck.

"Thank you, Atem," she said softly.

He felt lighter and more complete than seemed possible. Now that he had Mana, there was no way he wasn't getting out of there without her.

* * *

><p>Briefly, Yugi felt a strange thrill of triumph buzz up his spine.<p>

It made him sit up straighter. Something good had happened, and that could only mean one thing.

Atem had done it. He had saved Mana. He was sure of it, and a beaming smile made its way onto his face without conscious thought.

As they flew, he couldn't help but feel anxious and excited. He knew they had to find Atem and Tsuki sometime, but…

"_There!"_ Hikari cried behind him, nearly breaking his eardrums. "Look! It's Tsuki!"

Curse of Dragon swerved down to the ground at Yugi's command, and Red Eyes was quick to follow. They landed before Tsuki, who was standing before enormous dark doors and appeared to have company, though not the company they were expecting.

Standing beside her was a man in red and black: helmet, cape, armor, he had the whole ensemble going on. It was impossible to see his eyes. All that could be seen of his face was tan cheeks, thin lips and the tip of the nose. He had his arms folded, and across his back was a black staff with pointed ends.

As they landed, the black staff leapt into his hand with no visible movement. He pointed it at them, but Tsuki set a hand on his arm, and he set the butt of the staff into the ground, thankfully allowing them to approach.

"Tsuki! Where's Atem?"

Her mouth opened to speak, but from behind her, the doors opened and someone stepped out.

No, not some_one_. Two people, one carrying the other.

Yugi bolted to Atem, who was indeed carrying Mana, panting hard. At the same time, Hikari attacked Tsuki in a flying tackle hug, crying: _"Tsuki!"_

Tsuki's response was just as enthusiastic, _"Hikari!"_

Atem beamed upon seeing them all. His eyes were wild with excitement and maybe a bit of insanity. Mana brought her head up from Atem's shoulder, shielding her eyes at the just now rising sun. She smiled as she saw them, "Hi, guys!"

"Mana!"they exclaimed.

Atem set her down, his arms still around her as she wobbled a bit. The gang surrounded them, talking animatedly. Atem slapped Yugi on the shoulder in greeting, smiling. Tristan and Joey nearly tackled Atem. When Tsuki and Hikari joined the group and Mana saw her, her eyes got really big.

"_Tsuki?"_

Tsuki held out her hands in a helpless shrug. "Hey, Mana, how's life?"

Mana laughed, embracing Tsuki. "It's been… well," she said uncertainly, "How long?"

"About five-thousand years," Atem said, smiling fondly at her.

"Say _what?" _the others exclaimed in confusion.

Tsuki grinned, giving a mock bow, "Princess Tsuki, five-thousand year old Egyptian royalty—miss me much?"

* * *

><p><strong>Oh, Tsuki. Stubborn, silly child. She's in the story and therefore cannot save me from the Shadow Realm… sigh.<strong>

**Well, you know what to do, don't you?**

**Review!**

**-Anevay**


	36. Kaiba

**Disclaimer: if I owned Yugioh… if I owned Yugioh, there would be a miniseries on Atem (and Mana) in the Afterlife.**

Author's note: **IMPORTANT!** **PLEASE READ!** I'm updating successively for two more nights. But there will not be a chapter update Sunday unless I somehow miraculously manage to master the art of writing a duel in one day—which _won't _happen, I promise you. In fact, I wouldn't expect one until Monday or Tuesday. Yes, I am including a duel! As soon as I master that duel, there will be a succession of four chapter updates in four days (next week) and another pause as I write the next two duels, which will be added both on the same day. And then, we'll be about four, five (give or take a few) more chapters until this is complete. So as you can tell, we're nearing the climax! That's why I need to make sure I get it right. I can't just write a duel willy-nilly and call it good. No—I have to make it Yu-Gi-Oh worthy. Duel Monsters worthy. If I don't do it well, well… let's just say I'll be very upset and so will you!

So please, be patient! Reread your favorite chapters, check out my other stories, do some reviewing, go outside instead of sit at the computer (like me) and wait for some epic-ness in the next week and a half. You won't be disappointed if I can get this right! And I will if it's the last thing I do!

I promise I won't leave you hanging for months on end. I'm a quick study at writing. I'll get the duel down—give me four days at most and two days at least. I'll have to touch-up on my Yugioh dueling skills (which I have none of, except in my head) and study and research a bit before I rush into a bull charge. (Which is never a good idea.)

Whoo! Okay, the thanks/responses will begin now! You can read them or skip ahead. _**PLEASE**_ read the author's note above! I know it's lengthy, but it's important and informative. Thanks!  
>Thanksresponses:

Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight, me, Aqua girl 007, princess atemma, Chistarpax, Khemet-Egyptian vampire, fan person **& **jak dragon!**

**Princess atemma**: hahah I've seen longer stories. There are going to be about fourteen chapters left, maybe. I get my ideas… dunno! They just come to me. I've been told I have a unique/creative brain. My star monster? I love Black Flame Soldier, Dark Magician, Flame Champion, Wingweaver and Gravekeepers spy ^o^

**Chistarpax**: hahah yeah, Tsuki's a little smart-alek. Good thing she's not here! I framed her that way. And thank you!

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: Yes I did read the reviews—sent you a PM! Try and save them to a computer and uploading them fro there :? I dunno, don't really use Google docs! Sorry :/ I'll see what I can dig into about that.

**Fan person**: Zorc scares me *-* Atem is so mean! How dare he say we needed this! How could we ever need this? ATEM! How dare Zorc try to offer me a drink! I shall never drink anything he gives me. (sees flash of light. Sees **jak dragon**) he's saving us, fan person! YES! … oh, wait. Now we're in the Realm of the Beasts! We gotta hide! Some saving -_- now we have to run from monsters!

**Jak dragon**: (winks) thanks for getting us out of the Shadow Realm—it was pretty gloomy. But now we have to run from monsters, which means I have to write on the run! Dang it! That's kind of hard… (glances at fan person, who looks bored as we sit in a tree, hiding) can we never get a break? -_-

For favoriting: **Khemet- Egyptian vampire, Saharakanji, **& **Chistarpax!**

Well, writing on the run isn't easy, but it sure is entertaining! Alright, here we are, let's get to the story already!

* * *

><p><em>Kaiba<em>

Crazy geeks. Crazy psychos. They were everywhere.

Not that Seto Kaiba wasn't _used _to it, he'd just like some normality for once in his life. It seemed like there was always some enemy out to get him, take his company, hurt his company, him or Mokuba—or trying to defeat him in a duel. That one was one of the most frequent.

Of course, Kaiba turned down most of them. It was only when he wanted to prove his point or shut them up that he finally gave in and dueled them. Only then did they see how easily he beat them, only then did they see his clear superiority—and only then did they leave him alone and shut the heck up.

That was always nice.

So it was unsurprising when the unimpressive duelist fell to his knees with a groaning complaint of, _"No."_ Like he had expected any less. Kaiba always handed his opponents an embarrassing defeat. It was their punishment for daring to challenge him. Anyone who got in his way was shot down without a glance—all except one person: Yugi.

But, Kaiba actually didn't mind.

Whenever he dueled Yugi, he got better, and he always wanted to duel again. Yugi was the one opponent that actually _pushed _him to his limit. Other opponents fell easily, without much conscious thought and with a bare minimal of his talents. He still wanted to beat Yugi, and he still believed that one day that day would come, so no, he hadn't given up—not by a long shot.

Besides, sometimes he actually found himself liking the kid. He had spirit and he was a duelist to contend with—obviously, since Kaiba, one of the number one duelists, could never beat him. He was second only to Yugi, and though that thought often haunted him, it also pushed him. As long as Yugi was around, he would always have something to aspire to.

It gave him a strange sense of purpose. Well, _that_, his company and Mokuba. He had promised the kid a life.

He shook himself and tried to get back to work, pulling at the collar of his white suit. Something was bothering him, but he couldn't really place it. It was just this odd, constant discomfort in his gut, like he was supposed to be somewhere else or he was missing something.

For perhaps the thousandth time, he checked the calendar on his computer, then his phone—he didn't have anything planned, so why did he feel so urgent? He growled angrily and paged his secretary: "Kou, do I have anything planned today?"

"No, sir," she answered in her soft-spoken tone. She was probably the only secretary he had managed to keep for longer than two weeks—she'd been here three. He liked her. She wasn't overbearing or pushy. She answered to him and him only—listened to orders well and did them right. "Was there supposed to be something?"

He sighed, "No, I don't think so. Thank you, Kou."

"Yes, you're welcome, sir."

Kaiba started. He _never _said thank you. Odd.

He felt so _strange _lately. Why? He had no idea.

He ground his palm into his head, finally standing. He needed some fresh air. As he exited the room, Kou jumped to her feet in surprise. "Was there something you needed, Mr. Kaiba? I can get it for you."

Kou was pretty—long light hair, almost white, pale skin and blue eyes. She was petite in form; gentle, kind and very quiet in manner. Today she wore a slimming business suit, her hair falling naturally down her back with the occasional hair trailing across her face.

Kaiba smiled. _Smiled, _of all things. "Actually, Kou, could you get me my other outfit, coat and dueling brief case? I'm going out."

"Do you need any accompaniment?" she asked in concern. Even she could see something was wrong.

Kaiba was tempted to smile again, but refused to let his face muscles do that horrid action again. It didn't work. "I'll be fine, Kou. Just fetch my coat and brief case—please."

_Please?_

Holy… mother of… _Set!_

_Set?_

What on Earth, Heaven and above, had he just thought?

Kou hurried to do his bidding, returning with his white coat, dark outfit and brief case only a minute later. How she did that, he had no idea. The clothes were stacked neatly on the silver briefcase, which held all of his cards and his duel disk.

Then, what popped out of his mouth was: "Thank you."

He had been saying that ever since she had gotten there, it seemed. How odd.

Kou bowed, "My pleasure, Mr. Kaiba. If you need anything, page me."

He nodded and turned away, resisting the urge to smile again. _What is wrong with me? _he thought, shaking himself as he stepped into the elevator. Something about Kou got to him. He definitely needed to get some fresh air—and clear his head off all the oddities he had been experiencing.

Often on the streets, people avoided him rather than seeking him out. It was the wise thing to do, after all. Everyone knew of the high-and-mighty attitude Seto Kaiba had, along with his combat skills and well, _money_.

He didn't care what they thought of him. He wanted them to keep their distance—people were all too often a nuisance, doing stupid things at stupid times with their stupid, small minds.

One hand in his pockets and the other holding the brief case, he took his time moving down the sidewalk. He didn't know exactly where he was going or what he was doing, but he kept walking. He thought he might find Yugi and duel him, just for the sake of dueling. Yugi was the only person he ever really wanted to duel.

There _was _one other person he wanted to duel, but that was impossible. The Pharaoh, whoever he was, dramatic mumbo-jumbo hi-ku gung-ho man, was gone. Dead, from what he understood. The Pharaoh had been the one to teach Yugi, so surely he was better? Although, he had seen Yugi _beat _the Pharaoh—well, there was no way to tell who was better.

Then he remembered—Mr. King of Games had dropped off the face of the planet. Even if the Geek Squad hadn't seemed too concerned the last time he had seen them—the night of Bakura's freak attack. When he got his hands on that psycho, he was going to pay. Losing those duel disks had cost his company millions in production and customer fees!

Kaiba rolled his eyes. Wherever Yugi was, he was sure he was off 'saving the world,' _again. _That seemed to be a hobby of his.

He recalled briefly the fact that Bakura had been the spirit of some millennium ring, but he didn't really believe that, did he? He wasn't sure anymore. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. Who cared, anyway? Whether Yugi was off saving the world or doing whatever it was the King of Games did, he wasn't too worried. Yugi was usually pretty lucky.

Bakura, however, would pay.

Kaiba kept walking. He still didn't know where he was going. He just kept walking, block after block. Slowly the strange feeling inside was going away, and that was an enormous relief. Just to get rid of it more, he kept walking.

And stopped outside the Kame Game shop.

Stepping inside and not knowing _why _he was doing so, he looked around to find no one manning the shop. He could, however, hear shouting above. In a loud voice he called: "Hey, Muto! Can I get some customer service?"

The shouting quieted and minutes later, Yugi appeared through the doorway. He leaned back, as if listening to someone else, and then moved forward, "Kaiba, what are you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same thing," Kaiba said coolly, "You've been missing for a long time."

Yugi scratched his neck uncomfortably, "Yeah, well, something important came up."

"Saving the world again?" he asked dryly. Yugi couldn't tell if he was serious or not, so he didn't answer. Kaiba kept talking, "Look, Yugi, I don't care about your little saving-the-world conquests."

"Then why are you here?" asked Yugi, folding his arms.

Kaiba was surprised at the show. He hesitated, "I-"

"Came to help?" interrupted another voice.

Kaiba's eyes narrowed, "I know that voice."

"Yes," the deep baritone agreed mildly, "I would hope so, Kaiba." And from around the corner stepped none other than-the Pharaoh.

"Pharaoh," he said. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

The Pharaoh chuckled, "Aren't you supposed to not believe in me? In magic?"

He had a point.

Kaiba scowled, "I don't."

"Then why are you talking to me?" smirked the Pharaoh. Kaiba folded his arms stubbornly, but before he could speak, the Pharaoh continued: "I can sense it inside you, Kaiba. You can feel that your ancestor, Priest Seto, is in trouble. You've been feeling it. You came to help, even without realizing it." He jerked his head at the brief case, "You even came prepared."

Still Kaiba said nothing, but his eyes showed a spark of defeat. Yugi looked back at the Pharaoh, who nodded, so Yugi followed, grinning at Kaiba and waving a hand for him to follow.

Seto Kaiba sighed. Couldn't he have even a _spark _of normality?

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry, fellas—gots me some school tomorrow. I'll update tomorrow, don't worry. But as I said above, I won't be updating again until Monday or Tuesday as I put together a duel—there's a small possibility that I'll get it done Sunday, but I doubt it.<strong>

**So read your favorite chapters, review, read my other stories, do some reviewing, go outside, hang out with friends, _share _this story with friends—I dunno, whatever—just stay calm and be patient with me! ^o^**

**PS: my avatar (picture on profile) is the Black Flame Soldier, drawn by my friend, who first created Hikari and technically Tsuki, though I hammered out some details-anywho, check it out if you like!  
><strong>

**Until tomorrow!**

**-Anevay**


	37. Mahad

**Disclaimer: disclaimer.**

Author's note: okeydokey, dudes and dudettes—thanks for the help from the reviewers that gave me advice on how to write the duels! ^o^ I think I'll be able to write it a little quicker now. Expect another update Sunday sometime—possibly Saturday night, but I have no idea. Maybe Monday. Dunno, we'll see how it goes. Anyway, I'll drag this out fairly long—I hope.

Thanks/responses:

Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight (thanks ;), littlekuribohlover, Aqua girl 007, fan person, & jak dragon!**

**Littlekuribohlover**: you do, do you? ;) Well then, I may just be asking _your _advice in the next few days! Thanks for the advice!

**Aqua girl 007**: thanks for the offer! ^o^ I'll PM you if I need some help! (which I might, probably will)

**Fan person**: blame **jak dragon**! Hey, look at this—I have a diadhank too! Here we go: _Wingweaver!_ There—now I'm not defenseless. **Jak dragon** told us to go find his Red Eyes, Ruby, by the giant castle. Maybe we can find a way out of here after all…

**Jak dragon**: well gee, thanks for the advice of 'don't get eaten' after you're the one who _sent _us here hahah. ^o^ agh! Writing while flying is hard, too…

And for favoriting my Return to You one shot: **DarkShadowRose1!**

Alrighty… it's half an hour after midnight… and I haven't started writing, so we'll see how long I stay up tonight. Luckily, no school tomorrow! YES! XD

Ally: Write away, little writer!

Anevay: Not you too!_ How the heck did you get in here? _You're not even _remotely _related to my fanfiction!

Ally: Sure I am. I was your first independent character EVER created. I have privileges other characters don't.

Anevay: … fine… everyone, meet Ally, my novel character. She's a, ah, bit of a rascal. She seems to pop up everywhere.

Ally: dang right I do.

Anevay: … seems I have another character to jump in on my notes… well, time to getting crackin'.

Ally: WHOO!

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><p><em>Mahad<em>

He had flown for days to reach the Realm of the Beasts. Now, tired and wanting sleep, he found a relatively well-off place to sleep and was out in seconds.

The following morning he was off again. He had to find Dark Magician Girl. When she wasn't with Mana, she was here. He and Dark Magician Girl would gather together the other spellcasters, and together they would collect all the creatures of the Realm to help the Pharaoh as his army.

That was the idea, anyway. Actually managing it was a different story altogether.

But not one beyond his capabilities.

He was the most renown Magician throughout all the Realms—the Beasts included. Most beasts and souls, if not all, knew not the limitations of his power. They would listen to him if he managed to get their attention.

He didn't have to wait long.

"The Dark Magician!" creatures murmured and squeaked as he passed them. He was using a silent search spell to locate Dark Magician Girl, and it wasn't long before he had her location pinpointed in her head.

Monsters followed him as he flew past, wondering why he was there. It was a subject of great interest when Mahad was in the Realm of the Beasts, because he hardly ever was. He was both his monster and himself, and so had no real distinguishable forms. He couldn't really unmerge himself from his Illusion Magician. He had _become _the Dark Magician when he had sacrificed himself.

This was a good start. They followed him, drawn to his power and charisma as a Magician. He landed in a meadow clearing, looking around: "Dark Magician Girl!"

She landed in front of him moments later, nodding a greeting. "Mahad," she smiled, "Or should I say Dark Magician?"

Mahad bowed his head to greet her, "Dark Magician Girl."

"You need help, don't you? It's the Pharaoh and Mana, correct?" she cocked her head, watching the creatures who had followed him emerge from behind. "Just say the word."

Mahad smiled faintly. He knew she would help. "We need to gather an army for the Pharaoh. He in urgent need to regain the kingdom."

"Then let's get to work!" she exclaimed, "I'll talk to this bunch behind you. Go find the other spellcasters!"

Mahad didn't have to be told twice. He set another search spell in his head, keeping in mind various spellcasters: Sorcerer of Dark Magic, Dark Paladin, Magician of Black Chaos, Magician's Valkyria, Magician of Faith, Maha Vailo, Skilled Dark Magician, Silent Magician, Dark Red Enchanter, Toy Magician, Witch of the Black Forest, Gravekeepers spy, Dunames Dark Witch, technically Time Wizard, and countless others. He set to the task of finding all of them, sending a message to Dark Magician Girl to do the same.

All in all, he had an arduous task ahead of him.

* * *

><p>Nearly every spellcaster agreed to help, and went off to gather others. As soon as he had recruited those mentioned above, he sent them to gather other spellcasters and set himself to the task of gathering dragons. Namely, three specific dragon warriors—as soon as hey had them, he knew others would follow.<p>

He didn't expect it to be difficult. He just had to get the message to them and explain what was supposed to happen.

Mahad wasn't surprised to find Black Luster Soldier, Celtic Guardian and Kuriboh waiting for him.

Mahad, Black Luster Soldier and Celtic Guardian bowed at one another, while Kuriboh sort of bounced in the air, making sounds of excitement. Mahad led the way into the enormous castle, flanked by the two warriors, while Kuriboh hovered at the rear.

Two Mirror Knights stood on either side of a pair of enormous doors. When Mahad spoke a spell, they clanked over to open the doors, admitting the party.

The three knights turned to face them from a platform in the giant cathedral room, looking surprised. "Who goes there?" called one in a deep baritone.

"Dark Magician Mahad," he called back, bowing. The knight's voice sent a chill of familiarity down his spine. "You know me as the eternal servant of the exalted Chosen King. The Pharaoh Atem, High King of the Afterlife."

The three knights leapt from their platform, moving forward and smiling now. "Excuse my discourtesy," said the baritone knight dressed in light green, almost turquoise. He bowed first to Mahad, "We are in strange times."

"Yes," Mahad agreed, "That we are. I have come to ask for your help." He let his gaze travel down all three legendary knights, "All of your help. The world is in great danger and the Pharaoh is in need of an army."

"Say no more," said the knight in blue, pushing back his cape. "We understand what you come to ask of us."

The knight in red nodded, "Yes, you want us to help lead an army of dragons in the Pharaoh's army."

"The Palace is under dark control isn't it?" asked the first knight. Legendary Knight Timaeus looked remarkably like the Pharaoh, eyes, bearing, confidence, height—even his voice was similar.

Mahad nodded in confirmation, "Yes, it is currently being controlled by an underling of Zorc named Erebus. Previously, it was under the rule of a pawn to both Zorc and Erebus called Hamon, who used to be a king in the Afterlife."

Critias folded his arms, frowning, "This is a serious situation, then."

Critias looked a lot like Seto. The same eyes, the same voice—the only difference was that Critias didn't seem nearly as cocky and overbearing as Seto or his descendent Kaiba. He also had lighter skin and lighter hair, sort of a dirty blond peeking out beneath his blue helmet.

Hermos glanced at his companions, both of whom looked serious.

Mahad thought that Hermos looked a bit like Joey, though not completely. He appeared more self-assured than Joey, and not quite as ridiculous. Of course, that was probably was came with the fact that he was a knight. He had a somewhat similar voice to Joey's, though again, not completely; there was also the fact that he had darker hair.

It was only when Hermos spoke that he changed his mind a little bit. "Lighten up," he grinned, "It's time for the Legendary Knights to step in—what could go wrong?"

Yep, definitely like Joey. A little cocky.

Timaeus eyed Hermos critically, "Many things can always go wrong, Hermos."

Critias actually rolled his eyes. That reminded him of Seto. Yes, they were definitely similar to the Pharaoh, Seto and Joey. The Pharaoh took everything seriously, Seto was sarcastic and annoyed, and Joey was a bit cocky and ridiculous.

Mahad tried not to sigh, looking to Timaeus, who smiled. "My apologies," he said, "Hermos tends to take us off subject." When Hermos opened his mouth to object, Critias shoved him away rather unceremoniously and Timaeus continued: "We will of course aid you. We are ready to move out when you are."

Mahad regarded the three Legendary Knights. With them on their side, surely they would have the advantage. "Thank you," he said gratefully, "The Pharaoh will be pleased to have you on his side."

"What would you have us do?" Critias asked.

"We need dragons," Mahad said, arms folded, "And knights. Warriors."

"Not a problem," Hermos said easily, "Let's go!"

Timaeus and Critias rolled their eyes, sharing a glance. Mahad resisted the urge to smile. Turning, he led the way, with the three knights, Black Luster Soldier, Celtic Guardians and Kuriboh behind him. Outside the enormous castle, the spellcasters were gathering. There were thousands of them, and finally he really smiled.

Timaeus, Critias and Hermos were blown away by the numbers. "Spellcasters, everywhere!" said Timaeus, "It's incredible." He nodded at the other two, "Now we must do our part."

Mahad and the others backed away, watching as the three Legendary Knights transformed into the three Legendary Dragons, taking flight with mighty roars. Cheers rose from the party of spellcasters.

Mahad had a good feeling about this. He had been right to come here. It really was their only chance to regain the Palace—and the Afterlife.

* * *

><p>Dragons, knights, warriors and spellcasters were gathered for miles around the castle. It had taken a mere two days to gather the forces together. That, and their sheer numbers were what amazed Mahad. He had <em>hoped <em>for this enthusiastic response, but he had been prepared to accept a much smaller force than this. It was more than he could have hoped for—far more.

Timaeus, Critias, Hermos, Dark Magician Girl, Black Luster Soldier, Celtic Guardian and Kuriboh waited for his instructions. He smiled, "There is only one thing left to do. Send a message to the Pharaoh and begin our march to the Afterlife. Kuriboh," he said, holding out his message, "You must take this to the Pharaoh. You should be able to contact him through his dreams. He will get the message."

Kuriboh gave a cry of excitement—or agreement—and allowed Mahad to wrap the tied scroll around him. He took off into the air, off to wherever his instinct told him to go. He had an odd connection with the Pharaoh that made Mahad sure that his king would get the message. Their plan could only be complete if he met them at the rendezvous point.

Mahad had already sent messages with various other small, flying creatures willing to help to the other kingdoms they could trust. Alexander the Great, King Dartz and King Ironheart in Atlantis, and the Anasazi King Tastan in the marshlands. He hadn't felt it safe to send messages to the others, and all he had asked of the kingdoms was to march to the Palace, meeting them there in three days time.

That was the day they planned to attack, and Mahad hoped with all his might that it would work.

Staring out over the mass armies made up of the creatures of the Realm of the Beasts, he knew it would.

* * *

><p>Dartz was rubbing his forehead, trying to think when the cry reached his ears. It sounded like a Kuriboh.<p>

Opening his eyes, he frowned and rose from his position at the desk, following the sound. A Kuriboh, here? Surely it was a sign of _something._

In the throne room, a Winged Kuriboh was darting in and out of the open windows. When it saw him, it zipped over, zooming around his head. Dartz stared in perplexity. There was a scroll tied around the furry creature.

He reached to removed the scroll, and suddenly Kuriboh was still, big eyes staring at him in excitement—or anticipation. With Kuriboh's you could never really tell.

Dartz removed the scroll and read it over, reading faster and faster as he went. Eventually the scroll snapped shut. He glanced at the Winged Kuriboh, who was still waiting with those big, excited eyes. He hurried to his office, the Kuriboh close behind, and scrawled a response. Rolling it up, he replaced it around the Winged Kuriboh, which flew off almost at once.

"Father!" Dartz called. When Ironheart appeared, he said quickly, "Tell the servants and soldiers—gather the armies! Call the recruits! Pack the horses and weapons! We are needed in battle at the Palace in three days time. The Pharaoh's Palace must be retaken!"

* * *

><p>Tastan was unsurprised when Happy Lover delivered the message.<p>

His armies were ready, his horses and troops were in top shape and everything was in place for their absence. He wrote his response to the letter, recognizing Mahad's neat script. The Magician was sure to have gathered armies of his own, or he wouldn't be so sure and so urgent. The time had come for the evil to fall.

"Be ready for battle!" he bellowed.

He adorned his armor, collected his supplies and rode atop his horse, waving the armies to follow him. "We march for three days to the Palace of the High King! There, we will stand."

* * *

><p>Alexander the Great had been holding his kingdom successfully since the war had started. His armies and powers were too great for the small forces the evil had sent against him.<p>

So when the scroll came, born by Hanewata, he was both pleased and pleasantly surprised—finally, a chance to help the Pharaoh. Finally a chance to go into a real battle instead of defend his kingdom! The forces were small, but they surrounded him completely—still, they would be easy to get through. He would have to leave his foot soldiers here to defend the kingdom while his armies and soldiers marched with him to the Palace.

Three days, Mahad, the Pharaoh's Magician, wrote. Three days and we meet at the castle, where we will stand again Erebus, underling of Zorc, and win back both the Palace and the Afterlife. It seemed like an impossible task—though, like Tastan, Alexander came to the same conclusion. Surely the Magician had a enough confidence to assure this.

He would just have to trust him.

He assembled his armies, "To the Palace of the High King we march, men!"

To which the army bellowed and shouted. Triumph, Alexander knew, would be imperative in this coming battle. Lose the battle, and they lost the world.

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><p><strong>Whoo. Dramatic chapter and not as long as I had hoped. Oh well—another chap update in a few days. Hang tight!<strong>

**Review, please! ^o^ let me know what you think!**

**-Anevay**


	38. Mahad's Message

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh does not, under any circumstances in reality or otherwise, belong to me.**

Author's note: Sorry, no duel this chap! Go down later to the capitol ATTENTION thing towards the bottom. *****And hey, can I request something of my reviewers? I'm pretty sure I've asked this before—if I can just ask one thing, it's this: could we please keep the swearing out of the reviews, reviewers? :) I would really like that—please and thanks!

Thanks/responses:

Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight, Aqua girl 007, Kaya Croft, RedRosePetal (x10 in total), fan person, princess atemma, Khemet- Egyptian vampire, littlekuribohlover, **& **jak dragon!**

**Fan person**: You admit defeat! _Huzzah! _Anevay is triumphant! XD Now we have to find **jak dragon**'s Red Eyes and get out of here! Fighting is too dangerous! *-* We'll leave that up to the duel monsters and Mahad (who is my favorite, by the way). Off to find Ruby! PS: I like to think of you as a FFnet friend X) if that means anything ^o^

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: what a coincidence—I was sick all day today XP and on Easter! I couldn't even look at my candy without feeling sick inside. I can't believe you read all the way through in five hours! Haha that's awesome! And now I have a new opponent in How Dare You! XD I'll start: How dare you review multiple times! (Kidding, of course ;)

**Littlekuribohlover**: thanks! ^O^ I do my best. Sent you a PM on the romance thing.

**Jak dragon**: gee, thanks for the reminder! You've been so helpful ;)

Special thanks to **RedRosePetal** for alerting, favoriting, and reading every chapter of this story in almost one night! Hope you didn't lose too much sleep over it ;)

**ATTENTION!** I sort of misjudged the time on these things, so this is another filler chap (sorry) with the gang. I _will _have another chapter posted tomorrow. I've been working on the duel, and it will be posted tomorrow since I'm on spring break and have all the time in the world. Sorry! :O also, I've been sick all day and yesterday night XP otherwise I would have posted it.

**WARNING**: there will be some mature hinting with Atem and Mana—hey, what can I say? They're married. Man up! Or… woman up if the case needs be. Oh, never mind! Just read.

* * *

><p><em>Mahad's Message<em>

In the Muto's living room, Kaiba declined the notion to sit as the Pharaoh motioned for him to do so. To sit would be accepting their hospitality, and that was one thing he needed none of. He just needed his company's duel disks back—and a piece of that no-good Bakura.

Glimpsing Ryou, his eyes narrowed, "What's _he _doing here?"

Ryou shied away. Atem glanced at Kaiba, "He's _not _Bakura, Kaiba. His name is Ryou. He used to be Bakura's host, but don't mistake him for that snake."

Kaiba relaxed, "I don't believe in all those hocus-pocus mind tricks."

"Then why are you here, rich boy?" Joey asked, straight faced. "Why don't you take Ryou down right now?"

"Because I want revenge on Bakura, and obviously that isn't him," he said, folding his arms. For once he didn't bother insulting Joey. "He cost my company thousands when he stole those duel disks and decks. Some of those cards are just as rare as my Blue Eyes."

The discussion on Kaiba was dropped. They wouldn't admit it, but Kaiba was an extremely strong duelist and they may well need him in the upcoming fight. Besides, they all knew that Kaiba believed in the so called 'hocus-pocus' mind tricks—the fact was, he was far too stubborn to ever confess such a thing.

Gathered around the living room were Atem, Mana, Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Tea, Ryou, Mai, Duke, Hikari and Tsuki, along with half a dozen other random duelists. They had all moved to Yugi's because well, frankly their old hideout was overused and Bakura was sure to know about it—also, they were running low on food and supplies after hiding out there for several weeks. So in short, they were hungry.

Whether they were going to see anything of the Grandpa Muto's hospitality was yet to be seen. He was quite angry with Yugi for not coming to him earlier, along with the fact that he had vanished for weeks on end.

Grandpa Muto continued his previous rant on both Yugi and the Pharaoh.

"You should have sent me a message! You should have done _something _not to make me worry! I nearly had a heart-attack when you went missing, Yugi!" he gave his grandson a glare that sent daggers. Yugi and Atem flinched.

"Sorry, Grandpa," they said submissively. "Besides," Yugi added, "I didn't know how to contact you and Atem needed help! I mean, if I had known how to tell you I would have—"

Solomon Muto rolled his eyes sarcastically. "You managed to contact your friends," he said—accusingly.

Yugi recoiled. "I said I was sorry!"

Grandpa's dagger-glare turned to Atem, who bowed meekly. "We did say we were sorry. I mean, it's not like either of us knew he was coming—"

Grandpa threw his arms in the air, letting out a sigh of exasperation and causing both Yugi and Atem to jump backwards for fear of harm. Kaiba smirked at the scene. "Looks like the King and Prince of Egypt are in trouble."

They ignored him. The last thing they needed was drama with Mr. Egotistical. Besides, Atem thought dryly, he should be used to it by now, considering Seto was much the same way—though maybe not as bad.

Grandpa folded his arms, huffed, and left the room. Yugi sighed in relief while Atem cast him a worried glance. "He won't stay angry with you for too long, will he?"

Yugi shook his head. "Naw. He'll cool down eventually."

Everyone's eyes turned to Yugi and Atem. "So," Tsuki said conversationally, "What's the plan?"

Atem folded his arms, thinking. "For now, we should rest." He glanced at Yugi sheepishly, "Unfortunately, there isn't enough room here for everyone to sleep at the same time, so we should sleep in shifts. Some will rest here while others go out on watch for Bakura. We'll do it in…" he paused, "Let's see, we've got plenty of time to sleep and there are," he counted, "Eighteen of us not including Grandpa. We'll begin shifts at six."

Before he could continue, Tristan spoke up. "I think _some_ of us should sleep all night, so we'll only have some of us looking for Bakura and sleeping in shifts." Nearly everyone nodded in agreement.

"Well, we know who's sleepin' all night," Joey said. Sure enough, everyone looked at Atem. He protested, but he was barely even heard. "The Pharaoh's sleeping and so is Mana."

Mana protested, too. "Hey!" she objected, "I can help! I don't need to rest!"

It was Atem's turn to speak: "Mana, you just got back from the Realm of Stolen Souls. You're staying here." She folded her arms moodily, but otherwise didn't say anything. Suddenly she smiled wickedly and turned back to him from her position on the couch.

"Then I vote that you stay here, too."

"Mana!"

"What? I stay, you stay. You got back from that creepy dimension, too, and before that you went through a lot." Atem's mouth dropped in disbelief. She smiled triumphantly, "So it's settled. We both stay." Atem sighed. He knew she had won—she usually did.

Yugi grinned, slapping Atem on the shoulder. "It's for the best."

"Right," Atem rolled his eyes.

And so, at seven (after devouring half of the Muto household food in front of a very disgruntled Grandpa), the others set out to search for Bakura as they did every night. They split up in pairs per usual: Yugi and Kaiba, Tea and Ryou, Joey and Mai, Tristan and Duke (which definitely wasn't a good idea), and Hikari and Tsuki (unsurprisingly). The other half a dozen duelists split up amongst themselves.

Atem watched them leave the game shop resentfully. He would much rather be searching than sleeping. Deep in thought, he only broke out of his reverie when a pair of arms slid around his torso. He jumped, but relaxed when Mana giggled. "Come on, jumpy," she coaxed, "Time to sleep."

"Sleep?" he asked sarcastically, turning and wrapping his arms around her.

Mana smiled wickedly. "Yes, _sleep._ It's kind of a thing people do when they're tired."

"I highly doubt we'll be doing much sleeping, Mana."

"Well, one can dream."

"Dreaming is yet another thing to do with sleep—which we won't get much of judging by the look on your face."

The wicked grin stayed. Twining their fingers together, Mana pulled him upstairs to the guest room.

* * *

><p>Atem heard a sort of loud, excited squeaking.<p>

_Kuriboh?_

Looking around his dream, Atem found that he was standing in Domino City at evening. Turning, something big, furry and brown shoved itself in front of him, cuddling up against him. "Kuriboh!" he exclaimed, pulling the furry ball away from him. Something was tied around him. He jumped up and down in excitement, or urgency, and squeaked again. Atem pulled a tied scroll off of Kuriboh, unrolling it and reading.

It was a message from Mahad.

He had gathered armies upon armies of monsters. He had sent messages to Tastan, Dartz, and Alexander, and each had replied that they would meet them with their own armies at the Palace in three days, where further strategy would be discussed. Atem couldn't believe his eyes. He might actually be able to get his Palace and the Afterlife back! Mahad sounded more than confident that it would work.

He beamed at the fuzzball, "Kuriboh! Thank you!" he searched around for some sort of paper to write on. Magically (since it _was _a dream) paper and a pen appeared, allowing the Pharaoh to scrawl his own message to Mahad, informing him that he would be there and ready. He left a small, personal message at the end:

_Mana is safe and sound and we wish you well. Well done, Mahad, and thank you. I knew you wouldn't let me down._

_-Atem_

He reattached the scroll to Kuriboh. The furry creature zoomed and squeaked in excitement (or triumph), waving his claws around before disappearing with a small puff of smoke. Atem waved it away, and that was when he woke.

His eyes opened to see near darkness; it wasn't quite morning yet. He smiled to see Mana lying beside him on her stomach, still sound asleep. Before long, they would both be safe and sound back home. Mana wouldn't have to endure this anymore. She would live like a queen was supposed to.

Rolling to his side, he rubbed her back, nuzzling closer to her before falling back asleep.

In the morning, he told the others over breakfast about the message from Mahad.

"That's great!" Yugi grinned, "When do we leave?"

"I think we should leave later today," he said, "Mahad said we should meet in three days, but I want to be there early, just in case." The others murmured their agreement. Atem cleared his throat, "However, there's still the matter of whose going."

Everyone spoke up at once, but Atem held up a hand for silence. "I _would _just say Mana and I, but knowing Yugi, and you three," (he eyed Joey, Tristan and Tea), "You four will insist on coming."

"And me!" Tsuki piped up.

"And if Tsuki's going, then so am I," Hikari said, arms folded stubbornly.

Duke's hand went into the air, "Wait a second, I want to help, too."

Atem sighed. He knew this would happen. Ryou was the next to speak up: "Yes, I want to help, too!"

The Pharaoh waved his hands in the air. "Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Tea, Tsuki and Hikari can come."

"That's not fair," Mai huffed, "What about the rest of us, Pharaoh?"

"It's too dangerous," he said, "The rest of you can stay here in case anything goes wrong. That is my final decision."

Those chosen to stay grumbled about being left behind, but Atem was firm in this matter. Throughout the day, they packed supplies and rested for the journey. Sometime during their packing, Duke approached Hikari.

"Hey, Hikari," he said conversationally.

Hikari eyed him, "What do you want, Devlin?"

"Not devil?"

"I figure there's _some _good in you."

Duke just grinned, "When all of this is over, how about a date?"

"We'll see when I get back, won't we?" Hikari smirked.

"Is that a yes?"

"That's a minor _maybe._"

"Good enough for me," Duke said cheerfully, and before she could stop him, he kissed her hand before strutting away.

"Devlin," Hikari muttered, "What a player." Despite her muttering, she was smiling.

Mai was a bit disgruntled about not going, so Joey consoled her. "Come on, Mai, its safer here."

"Safer, Joey? And what about you?"

He waved it off, "I'm Jumpin' Joey Wheeler, remember?"

"Fine, but you owe me."

"One candle-lit romantic dinner date coming up."

"That's more like it," she smiled.

Yugi and Tea had more of a quite moment of assurance, considering they were both going. They smiled and gripped hands for a moment before swinging on their packs, ready to go.

By mid-day, the group was ready to get underway whenever Atem gave the say-so.

* * *

><p><strong>I <em>did <em>warn you about the Atem-Mana thing. Besides, it wasn't even that bad! Just a little hinty-hint, and as I did point out, they _are _married. **

**Sorry for the filler chap :P I promise that tomorrow's chapter will be full of awesome, action-packed fun!**

**So, go outside, reread, read my other stories, whatever—another update tomorrow.**

**-Anevay**


	39. Standing Up

**Disclaimer: sigh. Yugioh's not mine. How many times do I have to say it?**

Author's note: Sorry guys :P wasn't feeling well and this duel has been taking longer than I thought it would. Anyway—whoo! Alright, this duel is my first attempt at actually writing one… so we'll see how it goes. Don't try to be gentle if it's totally terrible :P I'll do my best. Be honest with me on this one, alright? Forget about my feelings and think about the writing! Okay, with that said and done, let's do this!

Thanks/responses:

Reviewers: **RedRosePetal, Aqua girl 007, Khemet- Egyptian vampire, The Trio of Twilight, Oh someone you know(x9), fan person, Chistarpax, jak dragon **& finally **Cometflight525.**

**Oh someone you know**: yeah _that's _not obvious ;) I knew you would appreciate Yugi! Especially since you kind of love him a lot haha! Shimon is so fun hahah! And finally someone appreciates that moment with Mahad in chapter 25! It was a good moment for him. You always notice those good little moments X) You know what I like about your reviews? You can pick out one thing you like and tell it to me instead of just saying 'good chap' or 'nice job' or something like that. So, thanks for the multiple reviews and being a faithful friend, even when you're sick X) so get better, woman!

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: How dare I how dare you at such inconvenient times X)

**Fan person**: you know what, I'm tempted to call my hikari to the field to get us out of here. I'm gonna get Atem when we get out of here! Where are we supposed to hide during all this fighting? Almighty Ra… _Almighty Ra! _Do you know what **jak dragon **just did to us? He separated us! Now I'm at some temple, going to get some armor and a sword, and you're at a military base. I suggest you read his review to understand :P

**Cometflight525**: well, welcome back! XD haha yes, Kou is kind of important – just relating to Kaiba, anyway ;) not really to the story. You'll notice there's a distinct likeness between her and Kissara…

-Special thanks this chapter goes to **Oh someone you know**, for multiple reasons haha. A) the many reviews B) the contents in the reviews C) loving Yugi like none other, simply because he's cute and understated D) noticing the little things and E) because you're my best friend, you're sick, and so I kind of have to ;) Juuust kidding XD get better soon, woman! (Or should I say 'Zyx?' Can't believe I still remember that!)

**Jak dragon**: you know what I decided? You just make everything worse! You separated us, sent me to some temple and her to some military base, and now we have Ra knows how long to get our freaking gifts and get to your dragon—oh, not to mention we have to do this all _without _getting mauled. Thank you, very much!

Anyway, let's move on with this exciting, duel-packed chapter while I run for my life!

* * *

><p><em>Standing up<em>

Everyone was packed and ready to go for the potentially long journey to the Palace. They would, of course, have to get somewhere out of Domino to open a portal to make sure no one saw them or followed them. That would be a bit awkward to explain.

They left a little before evening. The Pharaoh wanted to go when others would least expect it.

Atem observed those present. Mana, of course, and then Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Tea, Tsuki and Hikari. He spotted a disgruntled looking Ryou sulking by the game shop door. He caught eye contact with Atem, but he merely looked away, back to those he was taking with him to the Afterlife.

_Well, _Ryou thought wryly, _he didn't exactly say no…_

With a nod, the Pharaoh turned and led the way.

"Hey, Pharaoh," called a voice.

Atem turned and frowned, "Kaiba?"

Kaiba's eyebrows raised, "Who else would it be? I'm coming with you."

"You _are?"_ Joey cried in surprise.

Tristan dug his fingers through his hair, "Rich boy wants to _help?_ What is this world coming to?" Both Joey and Tristan's jaws had dropped nearly to the ground. Tea pushed them, grumbling something unintelligible under her breath.

Kaiba just stuck his hands in his pockets. He closed his eyes and smirked before looking up, that obnoxious know-it-all sneer in place. "Of course I am," he said, as if it were obvious. "If I'm going to get my hands on Bakura, I'll need to follow the freak magnets around."

"_Freak _magnets? Did he just call us what I think he did?" Joey asked.

"Just ignore him, Joey, he obviously believes in magic—his pride just won't let him admit it," Tristan shrugged.

Kaiba said nothing. He waited.

The Pharaoh nodded. "Alright, Kaiba, you can come."

"He _can?" _bellowed Joey, Tristan, Tsuki and Hikari at once, incredulous.

"Of course he can," Yugi smiled, "Kaiba's a very strong duelist. We might need him."

Yugi and Atem nodded at Kaiba, who inclined his head in reply. Atem lead the way, and Mana caught up to him, skipping at his side. Yugi was the next to walk beside him, grinning easily at Atem, who tried to smile back just as reassuringly. He almost managed it.

Tea caught up to Yugi, while Hikari just sighed, glanced at the other three, and followed. Kaiba walked behind the group, leaving Joey, Tristan and Tsuki to stand there in open-mouthed shock. "Say _what?" _Joey exclaimed, "Why does _he _wanna come?"

"Are you losers coming?" Kaiba asked dryly, "You might want to close your mouths. You'll catch flies."

Joey immediately snapped out of it, shaking himself and growling something incoherent. He marched after Kaiba with the full intention of showing him just who was going to catch flies in his mouth, but Tristan and Tsuki snapped forward, throwing their arms around him and dragging him down, grinning sheepishly and babbling about nonsense.

They walked to the near outskirts of Domino. Atem told the others to stay put while he scouted around to make sure others weren't present. He should have known that would be a bad idea.

Looking down an alleyway, he saw nothing. But as he turned away, something sharp touched his lower back and he automatically froze.

"Well, well, look who it is," a dark voice sneered.

"Bakura," Atem growled through gritted teeth.

"You don't sound pleased to see me, _Pharaoh_," the thief said. He pulled the king back into the alley, slamming him against a wall, where a knife hovered over the Pharaoh's heart. "Who's to say I shouldn't just kill you now and make short work of it?" he wondered, his dark face leering, "After all, I hear precious little Dark Magician has gathered quite the army. Maybe if his king, whom he's so _loyal _to, were to be, shall we say, destroyed? Perhaps he would loose his strength and simply give up."

"Mahad will never give up, even if you destroy me," Atem said.

"Really, now? Are you willing to test that theory? Or," he mused, "Maybe I should just hold you hostage until your _magician _gives up the war for your safety. Hm?"

_That_ plan, Atem knew, would probably hit home. Mahad was unfalteringly loyal.

"What do you get out of this, Bakura?" Atem asked, "Why fight for Erebus?"

"Because he's the one with the power, Pharaoh. I only have my own power, and that alone is not enough," he whispered, "I fight for what I've always fought for: revenge on the Pharaoh's of Egypt. Namely, _you_ and your _ignoble_ father, Aknamkanon."

Anger slowly boiled inside Atem. He opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly Bakura was thrown off of him, sent skidding across the dirty ground. Atem's eyes flashed to whoever his savior was. He wasn't surprised to find Mana standing in the alleyway, glaring daggers at the thief king, her wand up.

"Why you…" Bakura growled, pushing himself up off the ground. His hand came forward—

Before he could say anything, Atem threw himself in front of her and cast his hand across his body, swiping whatever magic Bakura had been attempting to throw at them away. "Bakura," he snarled, and his finger came up to point accusingly at him, "My father paid for his brother's crime. It was not his fault, nor is it mine. If you won't leave us, then I—"

"Challenge you to a duel!"

All three pairs of eyes darted around to find a white-haired boy with clear brown eyes standing surprisingly tall in the alley mouth. His eyes were hard, his fists clenched. Atem blinked, and he and Mana exchanged a glance, "Ryou?"

Ryou stepped past Atem and Mana, pushing the Pharaoh away gently. "This is my duel, Pharaoh," he said, "I need to face him."

Bakura smiled. "Ryou," he smirked, "Do you really think any of your creatures could possibly stand up to my Diabound?"

"No," Ryou said, "That's why we're dueling a different way." Without waiting for a reply, he tossed a duel disk at Bakura, who caught it, scowling. Ryou showed him the one on his own wrist. "We duel my way."

He backed out of the alley, eyes challenging. He was done cowering under his old yami's feet. It was time to stand up for himself and be a real man. If his yami had taught him anything, it was independence—to stand up for himself. Even if it had been unintentional.

Atem followed Ryou's lead, grabbing Mana and drawing out of the alley. Bakura followed, clamping the duel disk on his wrist. His sneer was back. "Very well," he said, "You shall have your wish."

The two faced off outside the alley, duel arms at the ready. By now the rest of the gang had come to see what was wrong; they stopped short upon seeing Ryou facing Bakura in a dueling stance. "Ryou?" Yugi exclaimed.

Atem set a hand on his shoulder, "Let him do this, Yugi."

"Hey, Bakura," Kaiba called, "When you're done dueling your little look-alike, it's my turn."

Bakura smirked, "I have no desire to duel you, Kaiba. Only the Pharaoh."

Kaiba flung his arm out in front of the Pharaoh, "You're dueling me, Bakura, and that's final! _If _you manage to get past me, which you won't, then you can have your shot at the Pharaoh."

"Kaiba," Atem said in shock. Was he actually _protecting _him?

Kaiba kept quiet, narrow blue eyes focused on the thief. Bakura laughed, "You're more like your ancestor then I thought," he sneered, "Protecting your pathetic king."

"I'm only protecting my company," Kaiba clarified.

"Naturally," Bakura said nonchalantly, pulling a deck of cards from within his black robe, "Now, Ryou, I believe you challenged me to a duel."

Ryou's eyes narrowed, "Here are the terms of the duel. I win, and you leave the World of the Living, taking your army with you and returning the duel disks to Kaiba."

"And if _I _win," Bakura sneered, "The Pharaoh comes with me, and your fate, Ryou, is in _my _capable hands."

Ryou nodded wordlessly.

"Let's duel!" they shouted in unison.

Both duel disks were activated, the life points set to four-thousand. They kept their eyes on each other as they drew their hands, only looking away to see their cards. Bakura bowed mockingly, "I'll leave the first move to you, Ryou. You're going to need all the _help_ you can ge_t_."

Ryou grunted, taking his turn's draw. His eyes darted from his hand to Bakura, "I play the magic card Scapegoat!" four fuzzy creatures appeared on the field, floating slowly, and he placed a card in the facedown slot. "I place one card facedown on the field and sacrifice three Scapegoats for Hyozanryu!" a massive dragon made of diamond roared as it rose, whipping its neck around. The huge dragon had twenty-one hundred attack points and twenty-eight hundred defense points. It reared its horned head at Bakura, who, unsurprisingly, merely sneered.

"A good opening move, Ryou," he approved dryly, "Now here's mine!"

He drew a card, "I play the magic card Pot of Greed, which allows me to draw two cards from my deck." The facedown cards shimmered into view, and he drew his two cards. A wide, rather disturbing smile split his face. "I'll sacrifice the Goblin Zombie in my hand to summon _my _beast! _Diabound Kernel,_ _come forth!"_

Diabound Kernel, a smaller, perhaps weaker version of Bakura's Ka Diabound, appeared on the field, flexing his muscled arms while his snake-headed tail hissed in Ryou's direction. It had eighteen-hundred attack points and twelve-hundred in defense. Bakura smirked, "And just to make sure he doesn't go anywhere, I'll place these two cards facedown on the field and end my turn."

Ryou took his turn's draw, examining his cards. The others cheered him from behind. "You can do this, Ryou!" Tea cheered.

"Yeah, come on, Ryou, kick his butt!" Joey approved.

Bakura sneered, "That's enough from the peanut gallery. I think Ryou can do just fine on his own, isn't that right, Ryou? After all, we both know the outcome of this duel," he shrugged modestly, "You're no match for me."

"We'll just see about that!" Ryou said, "I summon Hinotama Soul, and send him to attack your facedown cards!"

Bakura ground his teeth together as the Man-eater Bug he had placed was flip summoned without his permission, devouring Ryou's Hinotama Soul. "Very clever, Ryou. You knew one of my cards would be one used to destroy your dragon."

The gang cheered. "It's one of your favorite cards, isn't it?" Ryou asked, "I couldn't take the risk that you had hidden one of those on your side of the field." Bakura scowled while Ryou made a follow-up move, "Hyozanryu, destroy his Diabound Kernel!"

Bakura laughed manically.

"Soul Shield, activate!"

The Soul Shield formed before Diabound, blocking Hyozanryu's attack. "No!" Ryou exclaimed, "Reveal facedown: Mystical Space Typhoon!"

"It's too late, Ryou!" Bakura shouted, "By removing one zombie type monster from my graveyard, my Soul Shield stops the battle phase for this turn! Your Mystical Space Typhoon is too weak to rid the field of my trap card!"

Ryou grimaced. "With Soul Shield on the field, I don't know if I'll ever get at his Diabound."

"My move, since your battle phase has ended!" Bakura declared, laughing and drawing his card. "So I'll play this card: Foolish Burial, allowing me to send one card to my graveyard." He smirked, "Which will allow me to reuse my Soul Shield. I'll also use this card: multiply! Now I have two Diabound's! Diabound Kernel, equip yourself to his Hyozanryu!"

One of the Diabound's on Bakura's side of the field turned wispy and entered Ryou's Hyozanryu. The dragon's attack points dropped by the number of Diabound's attack points: from twenty-one hundred to three hundred, a drop of eighteen-hundred points.

"No, my Hyozanryu!" Ryou gasped angrily.

"My Diabound is an equip monster as well, draining my opponents monsters of the points equal to his attack. Now your Hyozaryu is weak enough for even my weakest monsters to destroy," Bakura sneered, "And since my Diabound has eighteen hundred attack points, you'll loose fifteen hundred life points! That will drop you to, oh, I don't know, nineteen hundred while mine are still at four-thousand?" He smiled.

Ryou ground his teeth together. Maybe he was in over his head. Maybe Bakura _was _better duelist.

Maybe he would lose.

Maybe his fate would be decided by Bakura and the Pharaoh would be taken captive.

"Don't give up, Ryou!"

Ryou turned to see the Pharaoh watching him with those amethyst eyes, arms folded and a confident smile on his face. "You have it in your power to defeat him. Trust me, there are holes in his defenses. You can get through. You _can _stand up to him. Believe in the Heart of the Cards."

Ryou nodded. He had to win. It wasn't an option to loose.

Bakura scowled. "Are you done, _Pharaoh?"_

The Pharaoh ignored him, nodding at Ryou with a confidence that made him stand taller. Bakura pointed at Ryou, "Now it's time for your Hyozanryu to go to the graveyard! Diabound Kernel, Helical Shock Wave!"

_I have to save my Hyozanryu, _Ryou thought desperately, _or at least save my life points. _As Diabound's attack moved closer, Ryou's eyes flashed to his facedown cards. _Of course! _

"Reveal facedown!" Ryou cried, "Battle damage exchange!"

"_What?" _bellowed Bakura, "No!"

"Now the damage I would receive this battle phase, is swapped with the battle damage you receive!" Ryou cried in triumph, "Which means you receive fifteen-hundred points of damage!"

Diabound's attack hit Hyozanryu, and he exploded into dust. Bakura's life points dropped to twenty-five hundred. He swiped away the dust as his second Diabound retreated back to him, unharmed. He scowled, growling angrily, "At least I still have my Diabound Kernel."

Ryou grinned while the gang cheered behind him. "Waita go, Ryou!" Tristan called.

"Who's the _man!"_ Joey yelled, swapping high-five with Tristan, Tsuki and Hikari, and then Yugi and Mana.

"Don't get too happy just yet," Bakura snickered, "I still have a few _tricks _up my sleeve! Make your move, Ryou."

Ryou grunted and drew. His eyes narrowed at the card in his hand. It was good enough for now, but if he didn't get better cards, he was toast. "I'll lay two cards facedown and summon Sangan in defense mode."

"How sad," Bakura smirked, "Playing it safe, little Ryou? Well, it makes no difference to me. You're going to fall sooner or later, though it seems sooner. Next turn shall be your last. I knew you were no match for me."

Ryou's brow was dripping with sweat. Could he really pull this off in the next few turns? He had to.

Bakura flung his arm forward, "Diabound Kernel, destroy his Sangan!"

Sangan went up in dust. That was two now. Ryou shielded his face from the flying debris of the creature.

"My second Diabound Kernel, attack him directly!"

"Not so fast! Activate facedown: Block Attack! This puts your Diabound Kernel into defense position for the rest of this turn!"

Bakura smiled his oh-so-creepy smile. Ryou didn't like that at all. "Not unless I play this! Polymerization, fuse my two Diabound Kernel's together to form Diabound Commander!" The two Diabound's swirled together until they appeared as one creature, towering over them.

Ryou paled at the beast. It was even larger now, and it wasn't white anymore—it was a dark gray, with spots of black on its face and double snake-headed tail. The wings at its back were huge; like large, black bat wings. It stood nearly as tall as a five story building. Its black eyes boring into the comparatively small, defenseless Ryou. How was he supposed to hold off _that?_

It had three-thousand six-hundred attack points and twenty-nine hundred defense points. That was more than enough to finish him off, even _if_ he was in the lead. One direct attack from that thing and he was done for.

As Diabound Commander loomed over him, Bakura declared an attack: _"Diabound Commander, Rocketing Helical Surge!"_

Ryou closed his eyes, cowering as he flipped over his last facedown. _"Facedown activation: Waboku!"_

The light green-cloaked women appeared before him, the front-most one holding out her hand to still the storm as soon as Diabound Commander's attack had begun. Bakura yelled in frustration, "You're only delaying your eventual demise! Make your move, _little Ryou!"_

Ryou ignored the obvious sarcasm. He tuned out the cheers behind him and paid no heed to the sneering yami, placing a hand on his deck and closing his eyes. He needed one card. _Come on_, he thought, _please—please!_

He held his breath as he drew the card. He almost couldn't look, but when he finally peeked at it through his lashes, he couldn't believe his eyes. He looked up with a gleam in his eye, slipping the card into the duel disk slot, "I'll play a card you used earlier in the game: Pot of Greed, letting me draw two more cards!"

Bakura scowled. "Then draw. My Diabound Commander will finish you off next turn either way."

Ryou took a deep breath, biting his lip and staring at his deck again. The stress mounted up on him like a huge burden. He could draw two cards. He needed two specific cards. Only two. This draw would decide the outcome of the entire game—even the entire world, if one wanted to get dramatic.

As Ryou laid a hand on his deck, praying he would get the cards he needed, he wasn't aware of the intense stare on his back from the Pharaoh. His amethyst eyes were silted in concentration, gazing intently at Ryou's back. His will power moved the fates, changing time and fate as if they were mere digits on his fingers.

Something in the air shifted. Yugi was the only one who noticed it as the gang behind him cheered Ryou on. He glanced at Atem, sensing the waves of concentration and power coming off him. He blinked at Atem's face fixed in fierce concentration. He had never felt the Power of the Pharaoh before, but he was sure he was feeling it now.

He remembered the ceremonial duel, and how Atem had known the outcome of their duel—how he had known Yugi would defeat the gods and how he knew what cards he would draw, because he was actually _influencing _them with his will. Changing them. The fates were that willing to bend to his will.

He shook his head in awe, feeling a little woozy at the idea. Atem had real power—he had never really thought about it being influencing fate before. He knew he had shadow powers, but not so much without the puzzle.

Ryou drew his two cards.

For the second time, he couldn't believe his eyes. A smile lit his lips.

Bakura frowned. Something was wrong.

Ryou slid the two cards in the lower slots, "This will be my final move. First I'll play the spell card Soul Release! This allows me to remove up to five cards from my opponents' graveyard, which means you can't use your Soul Shield anymore!"

The Soul Shield shattered, and the gang cheered.

Bakura grunted, scowling, "No!"

"And for my last card, I'll play my favorite," Ryou smiled, "Change of Heart!"

The Thief King's eyes widened in alarm. He snarled angrily, "No! Not that card!"

"Now Diabound Commander is mine!" Ryou declared. Diabound Commander switched sides, turning on his master. Bakura's eyes were wide, his teeth gritted angrily. How could this have happened?

"My Diabound!"

"_Now Diabound Commander!"_ Ryou bellowed, pointing at Bakura, _"Rocketing Helical Surge!"_

"_No!" _came Thief King Bakura's drawn out cry, _"You can't do this to me! I will not be humiliated like this!" _His murderous gaze dashed to the Pharaoh as Diabound Commander's attack reined in over him, "This is all _your _fault, _Pharaoh!_ _Curse you! Curse you and your father!"_

"This duel," the Pharaoh said from behind, smiling. He held out his hand and gave a thumb's down. "Is over."

The Thief King's scream of rage echoed off the walls as Diabound's attack dissipated, leaving a breathless, and free, Ryou.

* * *

><p><strong>It's official. I hate writing duels :P everything has to be so freaking precise. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my first attempt. I'll get better at it haha. I swear it took me like four hours to write this! Looking up cards, getting the effectspoints right, life points, blah, blah, blah. **

**I admit that I just made up the card 'Battle damage exchange.' I was tired of looking up cards so I just made up my own ^o^ hey, I'm a writer, I can do what I want! Huzzah!**

**Well, hope that was dramatic and Yu-Gi-Oh enough for ya! I'm sick of writing duels, but I'll do it :P I liked the ending of this, though ^O^ it turned out better than I had hoped.  
><strong>

**Anyway, review!**

**-Anevay**


	40. The Palace

**Disclaimer: If I owned Yugioh, it would be FOREVER VASESHIPPING!**

Author's note: Sorry, I'm kind of in a crazy mood. I'm _seriously _craving some vaseshipping, so you might see a random vaseshipping fic in the next few days. I _really want some vaseshipping! Ah! _ My vaseshipping stories aren't enough! Nothing is enough! I need to see it _for reals _from Kazuki Takahashi! Or someone needs to do an animation where they kiss or something, because I am _dying! _

**Ally**: Sorry, she gets like this. She gets big obsessive over couples, and AtemxMana is one of her _most obsessive. _So, while she's in her crazy mood, I'll take over and put things in _my _words (devilish smile) well, this should be fun! Anevay will probably kill me, but you know, what's new?

-Gracias/comebacks/all her other stuff she always does:

Reviewing peeps: **RedRosePetal, Cometflight525, Aqua girl 007, Chistarpax, jak dragon (three freaking times! Craziness), Khemet- Egyptian vampire, oh someone you know, fan person,** **littlekuribohlover(x2) **&** The Trio of Twilight!**

**RedRosePetal**: she says _gracias, I struggle _and _let me out! _Course, I'm all _nope! _Not gonna happen!

**Cometflight525**: Yeah, Kou is Kissara's descendent. (Oh, I wasn't supposed to say that? Oops. *devilish smile*) and yes, you did catch a mistake. She fixed it, all upitydodah. X) Banned card, shmanned card. In Yugioh, there are no banned cards. _Whoo!_

**Aqua girl 007**: You caught the mistake too. Good for you! XD Naughty little Anevay.

**Chistarpax**: Yes, yes it is. Little Ryou needed to stand the heck up against the psycho! She says _thanks much!_

**Jak dragon**: WTH? Why you puttin' them through all this? (You have some crazy reviewers, Anevay…) oh, she says to be nice. Nice? I don't believe I know the word. Well, I'll give it a try. She says: _dang it! I thought Ruby was fighting with the duel monster's army! I'm going after fan person! I choose to go to fan person so we can find Ruby and get the heck out of here! _In short, she says screw your 'quest' (_Ally! That's not what I was saying!_) And that she wants out (in more ways than one), but thanks for making everything complicated *devilish smile* actually, that's not what she said at all, but you know, that's what I'm translating it as. Oh right, I was supposed to be _nice._ Well, that's too bad. Guess I failed X) She also says: _My dark self? Thank you for once again placing obstacles in my way ;)_

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: I agree with Anevay that Atem is pretty freaking awesome. She says that was one of her favorite parts to write, with him controlling the duel and Bakura getting all angry hehe. And her reply to your How Dare You is: _How dare Ally take my place! She's almost like my yami! _To which I reply that yes, yes I am. I want to play now! How dare all you people encourage her to write this fanfic when she _should _be working on her own story – meaning, _my _story.

**Oh someone you know**: heheh funny, she sat right next to you while you wrote that review X) Anevay says that only you appreciate those little details, so thanks! Hehe there, I was almost nice.

**Fan person**: I wanna get jak dragon and Atem, too! It's all their fault that you guys are stuck in the Realm of the Beasts. Anevay says that she's on her way to find you. I wanna control the Shadow Realm X) that would be fun… and now is the time to act, while Zorc is weak! Muahaha!

**The Trio of Twilight**: Anevay says: _Thank you! XD Your review made me post this tonight!_

**Littlekuribohlover**: Anevay says: _thanks! It was a pain to get (mostly) right. Haha you are welcome! I wouldn't mind helping them out. It's no problem helping you out either! I like to help ^o^ My Ka! Good idea… Season four is so sad (tear) Now… ALLY! Let me out!_

Ally: No! Not until you work on _my _story first! You've been neglecting me. (pouts)

Anevay: (guilty, now) Fine, I will.

Ally: _Really? _Promise?

Anevay: Really. I'll do it right now. I promise, Al.

Ally: Mission accomplished. You may now have control of yourself again. Keep that promise or I may be back to terrorize your faithful reviewers.

Anevay: whoo… sorry if she was a little rude, guys. Ally will be Ally. She's like… my yami mixed with the hero of my story, considering she is the hero… (Clears throat) so I apologize for her rudeness. Where were we?

Oh, right! More thanks to **Cometflight525 **for author alerting me and adding me to their favorite author's list! That means a lot! Thanks to **BrightLightsBiggerCity **& **WuNsChKiNd89** for favoriting this! Heavens to… Ally, how long did you make this? Oh well… what's done is done. I also wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorited, read, etc, my other stories, such as **The Afterlife** and **Return to You! **I'm sorry I haven't got around to thanking you!

Well, that was hectic… go ahead and read. I've got to go write Ally's story like I promised :P she's very… persuasive. Anyway, just read.

* * *

><p><em>The Palace<em>

Ryou let out a long breath. Bakura was gone, his duel disk lying on the asphalt unattended.

Atem clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Well done, Ryou."

Ryou smiled, "Thank you. I didn't think I could do it."

Yugi joined them, "Well, you did it."

"Yeah, Ryou!" the others cheered.

"That was epic!" Joey danced, "Did you see the look in Bakura's face?"

Tristan, Joey and Tsuki mimicked his expression, and they all laughed—well, everyone except Kaiba. He just folded his arms and looked rather bored. "Are we going or not?"

"You're still coming?" Joey exclaimed.

"Of course," Kaiba said, "If I'm going to get back at Bakura myself, I'm going to need to go to wherever it is he went, and I'm assuming that's where we're going."

The others just shook their heads, and as one, they looked to Atem for direction. He pulled off his cartouche, "Here is as good a place as any to open a portal." He slipped the end of the cartouche into the air and pulled at the top and bottom, opening up a swirling doorway.

Yugi led the way, with the others following close behind. Atem went last, entering behind Mana as he grabbed his cartouche and yanked it through with him, closing the portal. Taking Mana's hand, he stepped through the group to see what they were gawking at.

They stood in a thick area of trees, quite a distance off from the nearest inhabited area. Off beyond the inhabited towns, they could see the golden palace towering over everything. Smoke seemed to be rising from it, and there was a dark aura surrounding it. Atem didn't like that.

He sighed, "Everyone stay here and rest. You're going to need it. Mana and I are going to scout the city and try to find an easier way to the Palace. Mahad should be marching this way within the next day, and it should be a big enough commotion for us to see."

The others nodded. It made sense. "Just be careful," Tea said. Mana and Atem nodded, and they both crept off towards the cities.

* * *

><p>Atem and Mana crouched behind the boxes.<p>

"Do you think there's any possible way through?" Mana hissed into his ear.

He shook his head, "No, I was just hoping."

"What else?"

"I wanted to try and get word on what's happening in the Palace. Maybe overhear something."

Mana shushed him, "You just might get lucky."

Someone was speaking. "Yeah, I hear the king is getting ready to send his prisoners to the Realm of Stolen Souls." they laughed. "Apparently they're causing trouble. Especially that priestess."

Atem and Mana exchanged alarmed glances. _Isis?_

They listened closer.

"Did you hear what else?" asked someone else, laughing gruffly, "He's trying to find those weird Millennium Items. I guess the _Pharaoh _and his Guardians hid them somewhere in or by the Palace. He thinks they'll give him some leverage."

Atem closed his eyes. Things were worse than he had thought. Well, he thought heavily, they could be much worse. The two men went off on something else, and Atem took Mana's hand, nodding. Together, they silently retreated back to the camp.

* * *

><p>There was no way through the city to the Palace, and going alongside the city was too exposed. They would be seen and probably apprehended by the dark souls inhabiting it. So they settled down in the trees to rest, talking amongst themselves. When they settled down for the night, they took turns taking watch. Kaiba, surprisingly, took the first watch.<p>

The following afternoon, they heard it.

It was the sound of thousands, even millions of feet (if they could be called that), tromping across the ground. There were roars, and battle cries, and screams—the noise woke everyone in the cities, causing them to arise and shout in terror. They ran towards the Palace, trying to avoid the flames that suddenly fell upon them.

Atem, who was on watch, jumped to his feet, watching intently.

His eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

The air was almost taken up completely by every manor of dragons. Every inch of the ground was covered with soldiers and warriors, crying their battle cries and sweeping their weapons through the air, slaying anything within their path. It was a beautiful, and terrible, sight to behold.

He heard hundred of feet tromping towards them. Quickly, he cast a shield around them. "Wake up!" he bellowed, "They're here!"

Everyone rolled over groggily, but they suddenly jumped to their feet in alarm as they were surrounded by soldiers screaming their war cries. "They're here!" Joey cried, jumping around in alarm, _"They're here! We're all doomed!"_

Tristan pushed him over, "Quiet, Joey! They're on our side!"

"Pharaoh!" exclaimed many of the soldiers. Atem spotted Black Luster Soldier moving over to him, along with Celtic Guardian and Kuriboh, and finally, Mahad.

Mahad was smiling, "Pharaoh!"

Atem dropped the shield, stepping forward and embracing his friend—despite all the chaos surrounding them. "It is good to see you, my friend."

Mana leapt to her feet and pounced on Mahad. _"Mahad!"_ she screamed.

Mahad winced at her loud tone, but he was smiling, "Mana! You're safe!"

She beamed, "Yep! Thanks to Atem," she smiled at Atem affectionately, jumping down from the Magician.

The three were smiling joyfully when Joey interrupted from behind: _"We're all gonna die! _…Oh, hey, Mahad."

Mahad pretended to clean out his ear, "Hello again, Joey."

Yugi was beaming, staring around in amazement as dragons flew over them and soldiers surrounded them. "You got all these monsters to fight for us?"

"I had help," Mahad said modestly.

From behind him emerged the three Legendary Knights. Timaeus got on one knee before the Pharaoh, and the others followed his lead. "Pharaoh, it is a pleasure to serve you once again."

Atem beamed from Mahad to the knights, "Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos. Your help has been and will be invaluable. Thank you."

Yugi grinned, "Cool!"

Timaeus nodded in his direction, smiling. Hermos and Joey eyed each other, nodding approvingly. And Critias raised his eyebrows at a cocky-looking Kaiba—who just eyed him questioningly.

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. This was all so… crazy. "This is all some hologram, right?" he asked.

"Yes, Kaiba," Tristan said sarcastically. "This is all some high-tech world of holograms."

"If that's what you want it to be," Tsuki muttered, staring around in amazement. Someone tapped her on the soldier from behind. Turning, a huge smile lit her face. _"Yeah!" _she cheered, "Black Flame Soldier!"

Atem smiled at the group around him. His friends and his creatures all gathered together, surging as one towards the Palace—and they were going to help him get it back. "Let's move out," he ordered, "It's time to take the Palace back."

* * *

><p>Atem and Mana rode the gold Victory Dragon towards the Palace.<p>

Atem was amazed at how many creatures there were. It almost seemed endless. Even without Alexander, Tastan and Dartz' armies, they were sure to overtake the Palace. Already, he could see them running about in panic.

Now he had to find Erebus.

They flew right over the Palace walls, landing in the courtyard. The dragons took down the already-weak gates in a matter of seconds, allowing access for the warriors. They were merciless, attacking every dark soul they found. Mahad must have done something to them, because they glowed, and every time their blade struck a dark soul, they vanished.

Tsuki was off with Black Flame Soldier and Flame Champion, taking a blade from a fallen soldier and using it herself. She was laughing, beaming with delight and dancing between soldiers and monsters, taking down souls left and right so that they too vanished. It was surprising that she had recovered old skill so quickly, and even more surprisingly that she was _enjoying _this battle.

Hikari had gathered a force of dragons and was directing them at a formidable force of dark souls that were trying to muster an attack. She too had found a sword, and there she was, hacking away at the enemies.

Joey and Tristan had found some old companions: the Lava Battleguards, Red Eyes, Panther Warrior, and several other monsters. Joey and Tristan didn't have swords, but they were directing attacks, occasionally quarreling with one another.

Tea and Ryou had teamed up with several warriors and were making themselves useful, while Yugi found Silent Swordsman and Silent Magician, along with Buster Blader, Sorcerer of Dark Magic, Dark Paladin, Gai the Fierce Knight, Gandora the Dragon of Destruction, Chimera the Mythical Flying Beast, and countless others. Atem beamed to see them following his orders.

Kaiba, for his part, had summoned three Blue Eyes and several prominent creatures that he often used, directing them in different directions to attack the dark souls. Yes, Atem thought, he definitely believed in magic.

Mana had changed into Dark Magician Girl, and Mahad was still the Dark Magician.

Now it was his turn.

Black Luster Soldier, Magician of Black Chaos, Kuriboh, Celtic Guardian, Victory Dragon, they were all there, hacking away around him. He had to summon three more, and then he could join them.

He held his diadhank above his head, and three gold wings slid free. His voice was louder than the chaos around him, and that was saying something. _"I call to battle the three Egyptian Gods!" _he pronounced, _"Slifer the Sky Dragon!"_

Golden light poured from the sky, and Slifer slithered from it, measuring longer than many of the dragons combined. Both of his mouths opened and he emitted a mighty roar.

"_Obelisk the Tormentor!"_

More golden light, and down came Obelisk, baring his teeth at the world and snarling.

"_Almighty protector of the sun and sky, I beg of thee, please, heed my cry!  
>Transform thyself from orb of light, and bring me victory in this fight! Envelop the deserts with your glow and cast your rage upon my foe! Unlock your powers from deep within so that together we may win!<em> _But first, I shall, call out thy name!"_

The golden ball hovering over the Palace shone with a brilliant light, causing everyone to be blind. They covered their eyes, looking away. Momentarily, the fighting stopped, and the Pharaoh's voice rang clear through the air:

"_Winged Dragon of Ra!"_

There was a mighty and terrible screeching as the Winged Dragon of Ra unfurled itself, transforming from Ra to Phoenix, shedding it's metal feathers and swooping down on the battle with one graceful movement. Every dark soul screamed in terror, melting at the sight of it.

The battle resumed, the Pharaoh's side finding new and even greater hope in the three Egyptian Gods' appearance.

Now, Atem thought, he could do _his _part.

Closing his eyes, he merged himself with the Black Luster Soldier.

He held up his sword and charged.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, that was dramatic, don't you think?<strong>

**I was seriously half asleep writing this :P I need some advice on this chapter. I'll honestly rewrite it if I have to ha! I don't even know how it turned out.**

**Well, review and give me some CC!**

**Check my profile for the next update. I won't have internet for the next few days :P I know, lame. Sorrys!**

**So in the meantime, review! ^o^**

**-Anevay**


	41. Battle of the Spellcasters

**Disclaimer: Does Anevay own Yugioh? I'll just let you answer that for yourself. Hopefully you're smart enough to figure that out.**

Author's note: Hehe, _guesssss whoooo?_ Ally again! Yeah, she didn't work on my story, so she gets punished and so do her precious little reviewers. Don't worry. She'll be fine. I just get to torture her reviewers X) she apologizes if I'm rude. Though I will try not to be, because honestly, what did you guys do? Nothing! It's all the little writer's fault, Anevay. So here we are at another one of her _fanfiction _updates!

Recognition/replies (See? Much more clever than usual):

Peeps of reviewing: **RedRosePetal, Blaze-Cloud, littlekuribohlover, The Trio of Twilight, Chistarpax, Aqua girl 007, fan person, Khemet- Egyptian vampire, **& **jak dragon.**

**RedRosePetal**: gracias, she's pretty good if I do say so myself. Even half asleep ;) I'm feeling nice today, which is weird… anywho, she says that it's not because of any mistakes, just that she might not have been as descriptive and dramatic as she could have been. But gracias!

**Blaze-Cloud**: a new reviewer, eh? Welcomes! (Yes I meant to have the s) Anevay says: _Thanks! ^o^ I know what it's like to have a character jump in and disrupt your reviews and such (like now) *glares at Ally mentally* though in my case it's a bit more, serious. Ally! Get back in the book and let me out!_ Ally: nopers! Sorry, Anevay is busy right now ^o^ _(No I'm not!) _Yes, yes she is. Just ignore the other voice and it'll go away.

**Littlekuribohlover**: *Anevay breaks through* If you can save me, do it! The nearest portal to the Realm of the Beasts is wherever you make it! AH! _Ally! _(Ally's back in control, now, peoples. Don't get excited) Stay in there, Anevay! It's your own fault that you didn't write my story. This could have been fixed easily if you had just written a bit for me. But, sigh, you didn't, did you? Oh well! What's done is done, now isn't it? Anywho, thank you littlekuribohlover! Your reviews mean a lot to my friend Anevay X)

**The Trio of Twilight**: Hi X) I just want to say hi to one of Anevay's good, constant reviewers – even when they're short and complimentary! Whoo!

**Chistarpax**: seriously, Kaiba, grow up! Sheesh, crazy magic-hater. Anevay says: _thanks much!_

**Aqua girl 007**: hahah oh Joey. He's funny. Anevay says, in my words, gracias chica!

**Fan person**: I'll let Anevay handle this one, otherwise I might just start killing things. Anevay?

(Anevay is back) Whoo, hopefully I can maintain control, but probably not. Gah! Stinking jak dragon! I blame jak dragon, too! I think littlekuribohlover is gonna come save me, and I'm trying to find you, and Ally said she'd help eventually, but I wouldn't count on her. (_hey!_) Ally isn't really my yami, she just acts like it -_- and she's actually a good friend, she's just naughty. Apparently we're in Ruby's castle and now we have to save jak dragon's soul and save Ruby. -_- but it's a trap, so we're probably gonna get beat up a bit. I should find you here in the castle… soon! I think I'm just around the corner—(Ally takes over). Hehe, guess you'll never know! Good luck! *devilish smile*

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: What happens between me and Anevay, well, nothing really X) just that she writes her fanfiction more than she writes her own stories! Like _my _story! Again with Kaiba—he's crazy and we all know it. Anevay's reply to your How Dare You is this: _How dare Ally be so annoying! _And my reply to that and yours is: how dare she call me annoying! Now I'm definitely not releasing her. Too bad.

**Jak dragon**: Ally here. Mahad is _the _best X) You know what, I think I'm just gonna banish you to the Shadow Realm when this is over. Anevay will be mad for sending her review there, but I'm sure inwardly she'll agree. (_No, I won't! Ally, be nice!) _Nope, nope, not gonna be nice—oh fine. I hope they rescue your soul o_o although it's your fault that it's there in the first place… hehe!

Our special thanks this chapter goes to: **Blaze-Cloud! **Who favorited this story and alerted it X) Also thanks to **Portalien **for favorite authoring Anevay!

Let's get it _on! _

* * *

><p><em>A battle of the spellcasters<em>

Atem's skills as a swordsman came in quite handy. Nearly even dark soul was attempting to retreat, but they couldn't allow that. Every soul was apprehended one way or another, whether by a monster or person or some combination of the two.

Erebus, naturally, was no where to be found.

The battle raged left a right, men and creatures going down on both sides as the soldiers and priests were released. Aknamkanon came out of the dungeons roaring for blood, with Shimon not far behind, immediately summoning and releasing Exodia. They screamed for revenge, falling upon enemies with terrible ferocity.

Isis came out in her own way. There was a dangerous glint in her eye that dared anyone to mess with her.

A smile lit Mahad's lips upon seeing her, and she smiled back. They nodded before backing one another up.

Tsuki and Hikari had teamed up now, while Joey and Tristan were still working together, as well as Ryou and Tea. Atem and Mana had been teamed up with Mahad, and now Isis had joined them. Aknamkanon and Shimon were beasts, tearing through the ranks or dark souls. Yugi, for his part, was doing quite well on his own, surrounded by tons of loyal creatures like Atem was.

But Yugi was knocked aside, defenseless as the creatures around him destroyed others, so Atem branched off from Mana, Mahad and Isis to help.

As he separated from Black Luster Soldier to rest and have a body guard at his side, a dark presence made itself known to Yugi and Atem. From his position on the ground, Yugi's eyes widened, while Atem's head whipped around to find the source. His eyes narrowed, resting on the figure dressed in black.

It was Erebus, alright.

Erebus smiled at him, those red eyes resting on the Pharaoh. He really did look like Zorc – perhaps that was the most frightening thing about him.

Casually, Erebus raised his hand in Atem's direction. It was a ploy to distract Atem, and it worked.

There was a flash of light in Yugi's direction, coming from behind Erebus, and Atem tore towards the boy too late.

"_Yugi!"_ he screamed.

If something had happened to him, he would never forgive himself.

Something black smacked the Pharaoh in the side, and he went tumbling off his feet. He grunted, pushing himself to his feet. As Erebus neared him, Atem began to speak a spell, but something smashed into him without warning, pinning him to the ground. Looking up, he found a rather ugly lizard holding him down, snarling and drooling in his face. The drool dangled down over his face. Atem strained away; the only problem was, he had no where to go.

A crackling black sphere of energy threw the lizard off of him, and Atem was glad to find Dark Magician Girl engaging the thing. But then, where was Mana?

He rose, but he was immediately pushed back to the ground, rolling across the ground with someone else and hearing an explosion back the way they had rolled from. They stopped rolling, and the person pushed themselves off of him, attempting to untangle their bodies.

Atem managed to free one of his hands, rubbing the dust from his face. The only thing he saw was a tangle of dark brown hair. Mana was lying on top of him, having tackled him to the ground to avoid Erebus' attacks. She shook her hair out of her face and smiled, pushing up slightly on hands and knees and yet still technically on top of him.

"Hey, Atem," she said, pushing his hair from his face, "You okay?"

Atem rolled his eyes, "I'm fine. What about you?"

Before she could respond, some massive creature barreled toward them. Atem grabbed her and they went rolling again. This time Atem hovered on top of her, brushing the hair from her face. She grinned again, "I'm fine."

Atem lowered himself and cast a shield as Erebus attempted to exterminate him again. From somewhere off, someone whistled: "Love on the battlefield. Shouldn't you two be fighting like the rest of us?"

Atem and Mana shook their heads and said together: "Tsuki." She'd always made comments like that.

Someone laughed briefly in response to Tsuki's comment. "Kaiba," Atem muttered. One of these days he was really going have some bad karma shot back at him.

Atem dragged them to their feet, and Atem's gaze shot in Yugi's direction. What had happened to him? Where was he?

Relief spread through him as he saw Mahad standing beside Yugi. Yugi met his eyes and grinned slightly, giving him a thumbs-up. Mahad simply nodded reassuringly. Good ol' Mahad, always there when Atem needed him.

Atem took in their surroundings. They were still battling in the main courtyard, near the front gate. Erebus stood not far away, his red eyes trained on Mahad now. Beside Erebus stood that sorcerer—the Sorcerer of Light. How ironic.

Erebus gestured towards Mahad, and the sorcerer stepped forward.

Mahad held out his arm before Yugi, gently pushing him towards Atem. The Magician had his eyes on the sorcerer, ready to accept the challenge the sorcerer was obviously implying. Atem and Mana exchanged a worried glance, watching their friend.

Atem inched forward as Mahad nudged Yugi again. He held out his arm for the boy. Reluctantly, Yugi withdrew, and Atem clasped his shoulder, putting him behind him and Mana. Yugi wanted to object, but he knew that now wasn't the best time from the way Atem and Mana's eyes were darting between Mahad and the sorcerer.

In the area where they were, there wasn't much going on. The monsters and souls avoided Erebus, seeking other places and other people to battle. Well, if you could call Erebus a person.

The monsters that had aided Atem and Yugi had backed up at a gesture from Atem, telling them to go help the others. The only monsters that lingered were Black Luster Soldier, Dark Magician Girl, and Silent Swordsman.

Mahad's staff twirled in his hand. His expression was unreadable as he stepped forward to meet the sorcerer.

As Mana moved closer to Atem, Yugi glanced down to see Mana slip her hand into Atem's, holding on tightly. Yugi stepped up beside Atem, meeting eyes with both of them. Mahad and the sorcerer were stepping lightly towards each other with small steps, Mahad twirling his staff while the sorcerer held his at his side.

At the same time, both staffs came forward with cries from the spellcasters. A dark purple crackling of magic came from Mahad's while a nearly white zap of energy flew from the sorcerers—Mahad cast a spell inwardly, and two cylinders appeared before him. One absorbed the sorcerers spell, and the other caused it to redirect back at the sorcerer.

The sorcerer's lips moved silently and a mirror wall appeared, readdressing both Mahad's and his own attack, shattering the mirror at the same time. As the dual redirected attacks spun towards the Magician, he swept his staff through the air, and a line of four magicians hats appeared. The double, opposite spells each hit a hat, causing them to collapse inwardly before disappearing.

The Sorcerer of Light glared at the two remaining hats, "A simple_ hat trick? _You insult me with this?"

A smile played on Yugi and Atem's lips. Everyone underestimated the power of a simple hat trick, and yet it served its purpose every time.

"You've got a fifty-fifty chance," Atem said from the side, smirking. "Take your pick."

So he did.

That white staff swept with a crack through one of the hats. Both hats vanished in thin air.

The sorcerer looked around suspiciously for a moment before standing tall and easy, "I told you I would defeat your magician, Pharaoh—" he was cut short as a sudden ball of deep purple magic hit the sorcerer in the back, causing him to fall forward and drop his own staff.

"And I told you that you could never defeat him," Atem contradicted, "Mahad is the greatest spellcaster I have ever known or heard of. And they call me the Master of Magicians, so surely I would know," he smiled, referring to an old title he had practically given himself—taken from a man who had called himself the very same.

Mahad landed beside the sorcerer, standing a safe distance away. "What more have you to offer me in this battle?" questioned the Magician, folding his arms.

The Sorcerer of Light pushed himself to his feet, fists clenched. "I have _this!" _he bellowed, and his staff came forward, directed at Mahad.

A burst of white magic, larger than Atem or anyone else could have imagined for this sorcerer, erupted from the tip of the diamond-headed staff, spitting with energy. In barely a second, it sped towards the Magician, who hadn't moved.

The explosion shook the ground, and the watchers nearly fell over.

Mana seized Atem, who grabbed Yugi by the arm, keeping them all on their feet. The dust began to settle in the ensuing silence in their area, the sounds of a dying battle reaching their ears from behind.

Erebus glared into the ever slowly falling dust. Atem, Mana and Yugi stared into it, hoping that Mahad was the one was alright.

"Mahad!" called Mana desperately.

When there was no reply, Atem echoed her cry. "Mahad!" his voice cracked in that one cry. He hated it when he showed weakness, but this was Mahad. He could afford to show desperation for his friend—he deserved it.

They waited with shaky breath, trying to slow their beating hearts.

Atem stumbled forward, _"Mahad!" _Mana's hands covered her mouth, eyes wide with horror. Yugi stood frozen, unsure how to react. Mahad couldn't be… surely he was alright. Surely he had somehow won.

But _how?_

Erebus smirked, folding his arms and staring at the Pharaoh with those piercing red eyes.

Atem's legs shook, staring into the now settling dust with an expression akin to despair. Had they destroyed each other?

Mana was trembling, unable to move. Yugi simply watched Atem as he sank to his knees, still unsure of how to respond to such a turn of events. He knew that Atem and Mana were surely devastated. They had just watched one of their closest friends… he couldn't finish the sentence.

The Pharaoh squinted through the moisture in his eyes, staring into the dust.

There was a figure, standing in the dust… could it be…?

Atem jumped to his feet, stepping forward, and yet hesitating. He heard a long breath being released, and squinted further. A dark staff was dropped to the ground, and the tall form, dressed in what used to be white and purple robes, grabbed his head, which held a dirty white and gold headdress.

The Pharaoh lurched towards the spellcaster as he collapsed.

"Mahad!" exclaimed Atem in a flow of unbelievable relief. "You're—you—how did you—what happened?" he finally settled with that question, supporting the Magician's tall frame. He pulled his long arm around his shoulders, attempting to hold him up. Mahad was much taller than he was.

"Mystic box," Mahad huffed, sounding tired. "I did it last minute."

Atem glanced back. He could see another man on the ground, but he didn't want to investigate the scene more than that. Mahad was alive and safe.

Mana bolted forward, helping Atem support Mahad. "Mahad, you're alright!" she cried, the tears obvious in her voice.

Yugi came forward, too, beaming. "That's incredible, Mahad! How did you do that?"

Mahad smiled tiredly, "Lots of practice."

They laughed, mostly out of relief.

A slow, steady clap stopped them abruptly, and they turned to face the sound. Erebus stood, bringing his hands together in a slow applause.

"Well done, Magician," he congratulated, "You are as powerful as they say."

His red eyes were unblinking. They turned, rather creepily, to rest on the Pharaoh. He smiled; something he seemed to enjoy doing, though it didn't have the usual desired effect. Instead of enchanting others, it only served to frighten them.

"And you, Pharaoh, are very lucky to have such a formidable and loyal mage on your side."

Atem passed Mahad to Yugi, so that he and Mana were supporting him. He then stood regally, confidently and protectively before them. "Your sorcerer has fallen. Your forces are terribly depleted. You have only one choice left, and I will offer it to you. I'm sure it's an offer you can't refuse," he said coolly, "Face me in one last battle. Either you take me and my kingdom, or you don't. It's a fifty-fifty shot."

Erebus' head went up, if not just for something to do. "You're right. It's an offer I _can't _refuse, because if I do, you'll only lock me up. This way you have a chance to defeat me, or lose it all. Very well, Pharaoh, since I do have no choice—I accept your challenge."

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><p><strong>Sorry to leave it off on a cliffhanger, folks. Anevay's gotta have something to write next chapter, and she does love to torture you just a bit. So what do you think? X) Was it worth the wait?<strong>

**Guess there's only one way to tell: review!**

**Anevay's yami/BC (book character), Ally**


	42. Darkness vs Darkness

**Disclaimer: No, no, no and no – Anevay don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.**

Author's note: Guess I'm back, since I finally worked on Ally's story! (Sort of.) Unfortunately she still wants to do my author's note, so I guess she's taking over at certain parts. :P Ally?

Ally: Whoo! Okeydokey, peoples! Guess how many chaps are left in this story? I ain't tellin'—you get to guess! I feel so evil sometimes. Anywho, let's get it _on!_

Thanksness/responsesness (yes, they're spelled wrong):

Reviewers: **RedRosePetal, Blaze-Cloud, Aqua girl 007, Khemet- Egyptian vampire, fan person, **&** me!**

**RedRosePetal**: hahah good pun X) I know, cliffhangers, shmiffhangers. Hahah you're just full of jokes today, aren't ya? XD

**Blaze-Cloud**: Mahad is pretty awesome XD hehe no, Anevay and I don't have problems—usually. She's just a stinker little writer. But I _do _want some EpicJuice! That would be _epic! _(I had to X)

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: How dare you make a bet against us! ;) I bet infinity and one bucks that he wins, cause ya, he's just THAT awesome! Whoo!

**Fan person**: Yeah -_- I wouldn't break the jar if I were you… (Switches to Anevay) Hey, hey, long time no see here in the Realm of the Beasts – oh, I'll break it, just to be nice. After all, he's giving us something to do… even if it isn't exactly fun. (Switches _back _to Ally) Hey, hey, guess who's here, too! I've come to save you guys, since I've recently conquered the Shadow Realm. I banish Dark Anevay and Dark Fan Person to the Shadow Realm! MUAHAH! (_A_nd back to Anevay) And I'll break the stinking jar. Alrighty, Wingweaver, attack! XD take that! WHOO!

**Me**: I was wondering where you been! ;) good to have you back reviewing!

Other thanks to **Bluefire123 **for favoriting Boredom Games, even though that doesn't pertain to this story ;) whatever!

Hm, where's **jak dragon, Chistarpax, The Trio of Twilight, littlekuribohlover **and **Cometflight525**…? Oh well. You guys are probably busy. ^o^ anywho, I'm just gonna get writing already!

Ally: _do it!_

* * *

><p><em><em>_Darkness vs. Darkness_

Atem held his duel arm up, displaying his diadhank and spreading its wings.

Erebus smiled. He showed that black ring on his finger, wiggling his digits.

"Terms of this battle?" purred Erebus, "Since we are on _your _land?"

"The terms are this," Atem said, posture tall. "We each pick a team of creatures: a team of five. Whoever loses all five first is the loser. Whoever remains with the most is the winner."

"Very well," Erebus agreed.

"After all," Atem smiled now, and it wasn't a pleasant smile. "You have no choice."

"Exactly," Erebus concurred in an undertone.

"Mana," Mahad murmured, "I must fight for him. I cannot stand here without being at his side and helping. Please."

Mana nodded, touching Mahad on the shoulder and closing her eyes. She muttered a spell to return his strength. Mahad, being a spirit, a duel monster, and a magician, absorbed the magic quickly and his magic reserves filled to the brim. He even glowed with a slight purple outline. He opened his eyes and smiled, gray eyes clear.

"My Pharaoh," Mahad said, standing erect. "Let me stand at your side. I will not fail you in this last battle."

"Let me help, too," Mana pleaded, eyes shining hopefully.

Yugi stepped up beside them, "Me too."

Atem's eyes glanced between his friends. He didn't want to put them in danger—none of them. They were probably his three closest friends. He couldn't…

He almost started to shake his head. Mana grabbed his wrist, "You need us. We won't fail you, Atem. Please."

Mahad's staff appeared and he stepped before the Pharaoh, who made no objection. Atem's eyes smiled at Mana, and hers at him. She kissed his cheek, twirling her wand in her hand and taking her place beside Mahad. Yugi brought his Silent Magician forth, who moved beside the other two Magicians.

Mahad's staff spun and he transformed into the Dark Magician, gray eyes glittering dangerously. He glowed with a purple aura, causing Erebus to eye him cautiously. If this Magician was to fight on the Pharaoh's side, he knew he was in trouble.

Mana grinned and she crossed her arms over her chest. Dark Magician Girl turned into a small wisp of blue, zipping around before dashing inside of her. Mana glittered, and her garb changed to that of the Dark Magician Girl, while her hair and face remained the same. She spun her wand and winked, spitting her tongue out at the dark underling.

Erebus' eyes simply narrowed. Spellcasters were always a feisty bunch.

Atem held up his diadhank. Three of the five spaces were now filled with glowing images. "For my final creatures, I summon the Magician of Black Chaos and the Sorcerer of Dark Magic!" The Magician of Black Chaos floated to the ground, folding his arms and regarding Erebus coldly. The Sorcerer of Dark Magic slammed the butt of his staff on the ground, looking pointedly across the area. The Pharaoh folded his arms, a bright glint in his amethyst gaze. "That gives me five spellcasters: the Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, Silent Magician, Magician of Black Chaos and the Sorcerer of Dark Magic!"

"So I noticed," Erebus said dryly. He flung his arms into the air: "Now, my beast, it is time for your _return!"_ he laughed loudly, "I believe you've met him before, yes, Pharaoh?" He cast his red eyes to the sky, arms high. _"Dark Soul Dragon, come to me!"_

His deep, dark laugh seemed to bring darkness. No, that was something else—the dragon. It was overhead, covering the sun as it descended. A cold wind ruffled their clothing and hair, bringing not only cold, but a chill of fear. It landed behind Erebus with a thud, shaking the ground. Its great black, slim and scaly body crouched and coiled. It's long tail wrapped around Erebus' legs, almost gently.

"So this dragon is yours," Atem glared, "A gift from the Dark One?"

Erebus stroked its head lovingly, "Yes, actually. Given to me as soon as I arrived here, to be tutored under him."

"What's left of him," Mana corrected. "Atem destroyed him."

"Perhaps," Erebus agreed airily, "But no matter. As soon as I achieve his soul, and yours," his eyes flashed between the Magicians and Yugi's, "Zorc will rise again. Permanently."

"You'll never get that chance," Yugi said defiantly.

Erebus' cold red eyes were trained on him. "Yugi, is it?" Atem ground his teeth together, a murderous glare turned on the underling, who continued. "A descended of the Pharaoh, and a modern versions of him as well," he mused, "Interesting. It is no wonder your soul is of power."

Atem's arm swept through the air angrily, "Leave him out of this, Erebus! You're dueling _me."_

Erebus' crimson eyes flashed to the Pharaoh without moving his head. He seemed uninterested. "Oh yes," he said, as if just remembering, "That. Now, how do you Egyptians say it?"

They both shouted in unison: _"Diaha!"_

Erebus began: "To complete my _team _of creatures, I also summon Dark General Freed, the Dark Creator, Underworld Dragon, King of Shadows, and the equip Sword of Dark Rites!"

"An equip?" wondered Atem, frowning.

"Yes, a sword that I shall give to my Dark Creator!" he cried. The Dark Creator, a massive man-like creature with orange wings behind its head, took the sword, roaring at the sky. "Now I offer my King of Shadows to my Dark Creator, to give him power!" The King of Shadows was sucked into the Dark Creator, causing him to grow larger.

Atem shook his head, "This is _not _good."

"Underworld Dragon, lend your strength to my Dark Soul Dragon!" Erebus declared next, and Underworld Dragon cried out as it too was sucked away, into Dark Soul Dragon. The dragon breathed in the creature through its nostrils, relishing in the scent. That left Erebus with only two creatures.

"Magicians, attack!" Atem declared. It was the only way to find the two creatures weakness'—attack, fall back, and see what happened.

The five Magicians attacked the two at different directions, searching for a weakness. Neither attack seemed to even phase them. They simply roared in annoyance, clawing at the pests like they were flies. The Magician's fell back to collaborate, glancing at Atem for direction.

"Mahad, you and Mana go after the dragon, and be careful! The others can handle Dark Creator!" he waved them away, wishing he could do more than stand on the sidelines. He knew that Yugi felt much the same way, perhaps even more so.

The battles throughout the palace were dying out, having destroyed all of the dark souls. Slowly, everyone was making their way towards the last remaining duel. As they approached, they found darkness battling darkness. Two Magicians after a mighty scaled dragon, and three others attacking a massive warrior holding a huge sword.

Atem glared across at Erebus. He had faith in his Magicians, but he didn't trust Erebus to keep his word.

Mahad and Mana, meanwhile, dashed in and out around Dark Soul, trying to find a weak spot. They were constantly dodging and dashing, unsure of what more to do. They thought that maybe, just maybe, they were in over their heads just a bit.

"Pharaoh!" Mahad called, "Our only hope is a combined attack! We must defeat them one at a time!"

Atem agreed with Mahad. The two creatures were too strong.

"Magicians unite!" the Pharaoh bellowed, "It's our only chance! Mahad, shield net! Mana, ropes! Spellcasters, surround the Dark Creator!" the spellcasters promptly followed his orders, while Erebus watched with interest. A feisty bunch, indeed. And loyal.

Atem closed his eyes, letting his senses reach out around him. If he could pull this off, they _might _defeat the Dark Creator so they could move on to Dark Soul Dragon. Odd how nearly all the creatures were dark, and yet those on his side were fighting for light.

"Yugi," he said, "I need your help."

Yugi was swiftly at his side, waiting anxiously. "What do you want me to do, Atem?"

Atem held up his hand, "Combine your energy with mine. Together our energy may be enough for the spell I have in mind." Yugi cocked his head questioningly, gripping his friend's hand. "Our energy may not be enough to _defeat _them," he said, "But it may be enough to separate the two he combined. Then, while they're weakened…"

"They would be vulnerable," Yugi finished, "Good idea!"

Their clasped hands faced upwards, and they closed their eyes, pooling their energy. Yugi could sense Atem seeing with his senses, watching the Magicians work: Mahad had cast a shield around Dark Soul Dragon, while Mana used rope to make him fall on Erebus. At the moment, the underling was no where to be seen, hidden under the dragon as it tried and momentarily failed to rise.

However, Atem could hear him: _"Get _off _me, you beast! You're supposed to be attacking them, not me…!"_

For the moment, they were distracted.

The other spellcasters had surrounded the distracted Dark Creator as it brandished it's sword at the Magician of Black Chaos and Mahad. Mana was on the ground, organizing the others so that they were surrounding it.

Atem's other hand came forward, palm out, "_Now, _Mahad! Defusion!"

Mahad, Mana, Atem and Yugi's energy together caused the two beasts to separate, stumbling away from one another.

Erebus, who was just squirming out from beneath his behemoth, screamed: _"NO!"_

Now there were two weakened creatures before them, and six who could destroy them. They had to do it now or their chance was lost.

"_Now!" _he commanded, _"Attack!"_

Six voices cried together, and six spheres of pure energy of different manners of colors went whirring at the dark beasts. All six exploded on impact, bringing a ringing to all within hearing range. They bellowed in pain and surprise, and then it went tumbling to the ground, where they slowly disintegrated into dust. The Dark Creator went first, and then King of Shadows, still stirring weakly.

"One has fallen!" Atem called to Erebus, winded. "You have only one, now."

Yugi was a bit unsteady on his feet, blinking. "Whoa," he breathed. Atem steadied him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Well done, Yugi," he said, "Thank you."

Erebus stood, dusting himself off and casting a disgusted look towards the spellcasters, all of whom had gathered together again. He snapped his fingers, and Dark Soul hastily got to its feet with a groan. "You may have defeated one, but you shall never defeat my Dark Soul Dragon!"

And Atem had to admit that he was probably right.

Now he needed another plan.

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><p><strong>I am <em>so <em>sorry for leaving it here, but I just can't think tonight. I'll _try _and get two updates tomorrow, I just figured I would give you guys _something _tonight. Really though, I'm so tired.**

**Well… review :P**

**-Anevay**


	43. The Finale: part l

**Disclaimer: …**

Ally: One second… _Yo, Anevay, get your butt over here!_

Anevay: _What! _… huh? Oh, oh yeah. Right.

Ally: Let's try this again.

**Disclaimer: Anevay does not, sigh, own Yu-Gi-Oh. What gave it away? The 'fanfiction' part or the 'not-Kazuki Takahashi part'? **

Author's note: It's official—I'm in love with Mahad. X) Well, him and Atem… random, but the truth!

Ally: _Any_way, I'll just do this and turn things back to Anevay—review responses and stuff:

Anevay: Very, ah, creative, Ally.

Ally: Why, thank you.

Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight, Blaze-Cloud, fan person, Chistarpax, RedRosePetal, Mirror's Mirage, Cometflight525, **& **Khemet- Egyptian vampire!**

**Blaze-Cloud**: Hewo! ^o^ hehe. Yes, Magicians/Spellcasters are my favorite. Haha I really wanted Dark Soul to fall on him! XD So he did!

**Fan person**: yeah, Ally's pretty awesome ;) Great, now jak dragon is here. Hello, reviewer, and question is… now what? Now we should leave, so Ally can get us out of here. Wingweaver, carry me out of here!

**Mirror's Mirage**: Thank you! Tsuki and Hikari are there just 'cause they can be ;) their part is mostly 'cause Tsuki knows Atem and she comes in in another, later story. Haha I wanted to do that with my cards, but I don't have the cards I need! So, thank you for the review! ^o^

**Cometflight525**: haha that's alright! :D

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: hehe thanks! How dare you ask to play ^^ Oh, it's not awkward at all! I say that all the time XD I think Atem is _really s_m_exy_… awkward for everyone else, but I do love him X)

-Special thanks this chapter to **Mirror's Mirage** for favoriting and story alerting this! Other thanks to **XToastyLoveX** for favoriting and alerting The Afterlife! (even though that's completely unrelated. well, sort of)

Ally: hey, Anevay, looky! **The Trio of Twilight** said hope to see a chapter from _you both! _I count! YAY! Gracias, TTOT! ;)

Anevay: Of course you do, Al. Now let's get on with the chapter.

* * *

><p><em>The Finale part l<em>

Joey, Tristan and Tea pushed through the watchers to see the Pharaoh, Yugi and a group of Magicians standing against a man with dark, sharp features, wearing a single-shouldered tunic and a tunic that hung from one shoulder. He appeared Greek or Roman. Was this whoever had been controlling Hamon? Surely it was.

Tsuki and Hikari found their way to the front as well. Tsuki frowned across at the black dragon and dark figure. That was Erebus, wasn't it? The coward had finally shown himself? "Come on, Pharaoh," she muttered, "You can do this."

Black Flame Soldier stood at her side, staring across the field in interest. Tsuki eyed him. He hardly ever seemed to leave her side. Not that she was complaining, of course. If ever asked what monster she had a crush on, she would have to say Black Flame Soldier. He was strong, a fire-type, and well, just awesome in general. And now, seeing him in person, she had the itch that she knew him. And honestly, if it was possible to fall in love with a duel monster—she was already in love.

Hikari nudged her, "Who's that, Tsuki?"

"Erebus," she muttered, "The evil guy that wants the Pharaoh's soul. And Yugi's, Mana's and the Dark Magician Mahad, too, I think."

Hikari shuddered. "Just looking at him gives me the creeps."

Joey cupped his hands around his mouth:_ "Go_ _Atem, go Yugi!"_

The others took up his cry for a moment. Isis, Kisara, Shimon, Aknamkanon and Amisi, as expected, did not join in – nor did Kaiba. He just glared at them, muttering something unintelligible. As far as he was concerned, this was just some weird dream – even though it really did feel real. Probably a holographic system.

Isis was the only remaining Guardian besides Mahad and Mana. Karim, Shada, and Seto were all gone – but if the Pharaoh triumphed here today, she knew that they would return along with everyone else captured.

Although that Kaiba figure, Seto's descendent, was a good enough replacement for Priest Seto. He got on her nerves well enough.

Kisara was eyeing him curiously. He wasn't Seto, but she was sure she knew him.

Shimon, Aknamkanon and Amisi paid him no attention. He was rather stubborn and obnoxious, and even though he did look like Seto (pretty much exactly), well, he wasn't. If he was he would have spoken to them. _This _one was obviously not their friend.

Yugi, standing beside Atem, smiled to see his friends were alright.

Erebus was stroking his dragon thoughtfully, waiting for the spellcasters to make a move. Dark Soul Dragon would not go down easily. The defeat of Erebus' other two monsters had ended only moments ago, and now Erebus simply sat there, waiting. He knew they would come to him.

Atem had a sudden thought, staring across at Dark Soul as it swept its tail across the ground rhythmically. Its armor obviously had no kinks or flaws. The only fleshy parts were its eyes and mouth, so maybe with enough power…

Dark Soul taunted them with its eyes, snarling lowly and inching closer.

"Spellcasters, prepare to ambush," he said, only loud enough for them to hear. "I'll deal with Erebus."

"What do you want us to do?" Mana wondered. All eyes turned to the Pharaoh.

"Have you noticed the fleshy parts of the dragon?" Atem said instead, looking around at his spellcasters.

Mahad nodded, "The mouth and eyes are the vulnerable parts."

Mana's eyes lit up. "Oh! It's mouth!"

Atem nodded, "Approach him slowly. Devise a plan between the five of you."

Yugi frowned. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Stay here."

Yugi sighed. "I knew you were going to say that," he muttered grumpily.

"Yugi, what would you _like _to do?" asked Atem, "You're better off here. There's nothing you can do," he soothed.

"Fine," Yugi agreed, "But be careful, okay?"

Atem nodded, turning back to face the Dark One's underling. "I will," he said in a low tone, drawing his sword. He hadn't used powerful magic for years – since he had locked Zorc away, actually – but he knew he had to do it. He was good with spells, it just wasn't his 'thing.' He preferred dueling and swordfighting to spellcasting; he left that to the magicians.

Murmuring a spell under his breath, his lips forming the words perfectly, he moved past the Magicians, towards Erebus. His sword made small movements in his hand, in sync with the spell he spoke. The curved sword glowed, suddenly cleaning itself and changing.

The dull, curved khopesh blade elongated and turned gold. The handle and hilt became a deep regal gray, and the hilt became more prominent, twisting, with jagged edges. At the base of the handle there was a toothed jewel of sapphire. The sword was double sided, engraved with Egyptian symbols. It glittered and shined brilliantly, glowing with a dark aura, yet light at the same time.

Erebus stepped forward, drawing a sword of his own. The bronze blade was short, wide at the base, where there was a bronze, short, woody-looking hilt, although there were jewels in the ends. The double-edged blade shone darkly, despite its bronze color.

Atem swung the new blade in his hand. The spell had worked perfectly, transforming his regular khopesh sword into a magically enhanced, better weapon than before. Its balance was perfect, its swing was comfortable, and the grip felt good in his hand. He was sure he could go for hours with this blade without tiring.

Without warning, the battle of swords began.

Gold against bronze, the kopesh sword clashed against the Roman, causing sparks to fly. Atem barely felt the jolt up his arm at the contact. The blades clashed again. Each opponent parried perfectly, neither tiring in the slightest.

Atem redoubled his attempts. The gold of his blade flashed for Erebus' side, feinting, before quickly switching to his thigh. It tore deeply there, but Erebus barely made a sound. Atem used the technique again: feinting twice this time before managing to get at Erebus' shoulder. So far he hadn't gotten at the Pharaoh at all.

Still, the Pharaoh's small tears in Erebus' skin were far from killing blows. The dark underling protected his torso area too carefully. Both would have to change strategies before long.

Yugi, standing back, watched in amazement. He wished he could help, somehow. So far he was practically useless. Atem was going at Erebus with his new blade, while Mahad and Mana were planning a strategy. The Dark Soul Dragon was slowly drawing nearer, losing patience with its prey. Before long it would pounce.

Yugi stepped up to join the group of spellcasters.

"How can I help?" he asked Mahad hopefully. "There's got to be something I can do."

Mahad considered him. He knew that Yugi was similar to the Pharaoh—a descendent, so perhaps he had the natural magic inside him that the Pharaoh did. He thought he had sensed it once or twice before. "Perhaps there is. Mana, teach him a simple spell or two. He should be able to annoy the thing, distracting it." The Magician twirled his fingers and a short black wand appeared with a violet sphere at the tip. He handed it to Yugi, "Use this. It should work for you." Then he nodded at Mana, who turned to him.

"Alright, Yugi, here are a few simple spells," she directed. She gave him the wording for one that made the intended person/creature itchy, one that froze living things, and one to make small explosions. "Practice while we get in and distract it for a minute," she said, and smiled. "Jump in when you're ready!"

Yugi stared down at the wand in his hand. He was supposed to learn how to use this thing in a matter of minutes?

He sighed. Great. Just great. Yet another impossible task given to him.

_Well, _he thought, _might as well give it a try._

* * *

><p>Tsuki was itching to join in. Surely there was some way she could help?<p>

The others wanted to be of assistance as well, but none were sure _how _exactly they could help. And besides, the Pharaoh seemed to be doing just fine against Erebus. The Magicians were playing a game of cat and mouse with the dragon, darting around it while it snapped at them, crouched and dangerous.

So far, everything seemed to be going alright.

Well, except Yugi. He was fidgeting with a wand off to the side, obviously annoyed.

Tsuki made a face. Maybe she could help Yugi. She knew, from her past, the basics of spellcasting, though she had never had a natural ability like Mana, the Pharaoh or Mahad. And knowing Mana, she had probably just left him there on his own to figure it out.

That Mana.

"I'll be right back," she told Hikari and the others, edging around to Yugi. The Black Flame Soldier followed, walking right at her side and standing between her and the fighting. Reaching Yugi, she folded her arms and stood there watching him. He had the wording right, but he didn't have any _feeling _in them. "Need some pointers?" she asked.

Yugi sighed, "Yes. Yes I do."

"Here, I'll help you," she said, "I know the basics, but I can't actually do magic."

"How do you know about using magic?" he wondered, puzzled.

She opened her mouth to speak, but decided against it. "I'll tell you later. It's kind of a long story. Anyway," she said dismissively, "To make the spell work, try to feel the magic coursing through you, right to the wand. Put some feeling into it, some desire."

He did. Nothing happened.

"Try it again," she said, "Don't give up now. You're getting there." Yugi tried again, closing his eyes tightly, but Tsuki was quick to correct him. "Don't force it, Yugi, just let it flow."

Yugi took a deep breath and tried again, speaking one of the spells he could remember. He tried to put his desire into it. He tried to feel the magic moving through him. He couldn't, even though he so desperately wanted to.

Their eyes stared around at a scream and a roar. They turned just in time to see the Sorcerer of Dark Magic disintegrate on the spot, leaving four spellcasters left. Dark Soul Dragon was fired up now, attacking at will.

The spellcasters regrouped.

The situation between Erebus and Atem had remained unchanged, but at the roar, the Pharaoh's gaze turned to the Magicians for a fraction of a second. That was enough time for Erebus to dash in, narrowly missing his neck and biting into his shoulder instead as Atem leaned away hastily. The Pharaoh cursed himself for letting his attention waver. He knew which spellcaster had fallen: the Sorcerer of Dark Magic.

At least it hadn't been the others. Mahad and Mana being themselves _and _their ka, the Silent Magician being Yugi's monster—and the Magician of Black Chaos being deeply rooted into him, even if it wasn't his Ka. If it had been one of the others, the results would have been much more damaging.

He returned his attention back to the swordfight.

Presently, Yugi was attempting the spells again. They were down one spellcaster, and someone else on their side would be enormously helpful. He had to keep trying.

Speaking the spell again, he felt a spark inside him. _Yes! _he thought, _That's something! _Encouraged, he kept at it. But his progress was ever so slow.

In the battle with the Dark Soul Dragon, things had been slow going, but were very quickly heating up.

Mahad struck the dragon in the eye with staff and magic, causing it to roar and snap in Mahad's direction. Mana cast a spell at the dragon for that, so that it hit him in the side, making it turn its attention to _her. _

Maybe she should have thought that through a little more.

She screeched as the dragon's jaws snapped at her, narrowly missing. Zooming around to the other side, she spotted a strangely fleshy spot and hit him again, and this time Mahad and the other two joined in. Losing the Sorcerer of Dark Magic had been a bad blow, but they kept at their task.

By now Dark Soul Dragon was far from angry. It was fuming.

It stood at its full height, bellowing an earsplitting roar. Those deadly metallic teeth snapped at the Magicians; it swung its head every which way, spitting fire and clawing the air.

Unfortunately, the first Magician to get hit was the Magician of Black Chaos.

Dark Soul's claw raked across the Magician's midsection, sending him sprawling and staff spinning away.

Not far away, Atem doubled over in pain.

Erebus' crimson eyes glimmered in triumph.

"_No!" _

Yugi reacted on instinct. He dropped his wand and did something even he couldn't explain how he had done.

Suddenly he was charging at Erebus with a massive broadsword already arching through the air. It sliced across Erebus' torso, creating a gash there and causing him to stumble backwards. He went on the attack again, feeling as though he could swing that broadsword like it weighed nothing.

Through the anguish he felt as the Magician of Black Chaos was recovering, Atem peered up at a small, teal-clad figure. They were attacking Erebus mercilessly, so that the underling had to retreat, parrying hastily but expertly.

Was that the Silent Swordsman? It seemed too small to be the Silent Swordsman, and yet, there was that teal armor and that enormous broadsword, swinging away.

As Erebus retreated further, the smaller Silent Swordsman backed up beside Atem. "You okay, Atem?" asked Yugi's concerned voice.

"Yugi?" wondered Atem. "That's _you? _Did you… combine with you Ka?"

For the first time, Yugi glanced down at himself.

He wore the costume of the Silent Swordsman: helmet, tunic dress-thing and everything. It was no wonder he had the huge broadsword in his hand and not an Egyptian khopesh.

"I guess I did," he said, just as surprised as Atem was.

"Yugi, watch out!" Atem cried, jumping to his feet with glowing blade in hand. He countered Erebus' surprise attack, locking their blades. He pushed Erebus away with his blade, but suddenly collapsed in anguish, leaving Yugi to jump back in.

"What happened?" he grunted, urging Erebus back.

"The Magician of Black Chaos," Atem groaned, "He's gone."

That left three spellcasters standing.

Yugi's gaze switched momentarily in the Magician's direction. Mana, Mahad and the Silent Magician were still going strong, but there was no telling how long that would last. Dark Soul Dragon didn't seem even remotely tired.

Atem clutched at his gut, biting back another groan. The Magician of Black Chaos was an awful loss. He was one of the most powerful spellcasters, and yet he had been destroyed in a matter of moments. Things weren't looking good.

Off on the sidelines, Isis and the others were preparing to jump in on the battle.

Tsuki, well, Tsuki was already marching across the field with a sword in her hand and duel disk locked and loaded. Black Flame Soldier was, naturally, at her side, swinging the long black staff from around his back. It was clear they were looking for a fight.

So of course, Hikari raced out after her, which left the rest of the gang in no position to just stand there gaping like fish. Joey, Tristan and Tea followed, and soon after, so had Isis, Shimon, Aknamkanon, Kisara and Amisi. From there it was a flood of people: servants and soldiers alike rushed out to aid the Pharaoh.

Tsuki was in the lead, Flame Champion and Black Flame Soldier on either side of her. She slapped another card on her duel disk, glaring toward the Dark Soul Dragon. In a loud voice, she cried: _"I summon, Trident Dragon!"_

The entire Palace shook as a massive three-headed, pointy-looking orange dragon suddenly landed behind Tsuki. A hydra—a flame hydra. It growled, sounding more like a roar, rearing its three heads and bearing giant teeth at Dark Soul.

Under his breath, Erebus cursed. He knew he had lost.

He had failed the Dark One. He would be furious.

No, that wasn't an option. He had to try one last thing to prove to Zorc that he had done all in his power.

"_Dark Soul Dragon!" _Erebus screamed, _"Absorb my essence! Destroy these souls!"_

The dragon responded without hesitation, ignoring the three Magicians and turning towards its master. Its mouth opened, and black mist steamed in—the black mist was Erebus himself, being sucked into the dragon as power.

Yugi watched in horror as Erebus gave himself up, essence, soul, spirit and all, to power this monstrosity. To power Zorc, to an extent. It was as if Erebus was disintegrating into ash before his very eyes.

Atem had gotten to his feet now, staring up in dread as Dark Soul grew even larger. It's now even more massive head turned towards Trident Dragon, and fire erupted from its mouth to meet the lava-like flames of the Tsuki's Trident Dragon. Both were huge. Before, Dark Soul had been about a third Trident Dragon's size, but now it matched it in height.

Atem cursed in Egyptian. Things had just gotten ten times worse.

"Mahad, Mana!" he called, "Retreat!"

They didn't need telling twice, returning to his side. Silent Magician was with them as well, awaiting orders. "What are we to do?" Mahad asked, face crestfallen.

"A combined attack is our only chance," he muttered, "Gather everyone together." They nodded and rushed off.

Atem stared down at his diadhank. They would need the gods help. Holding the diadhank in the air, he commanded silently: _Egyptian Gods, return to me!_

Three crescents of light flew over the Palace, stopping in the air above, where the three gods presented themselves and began an attack on Dark Soul with Trident Dragon.

If possible, Dark Soul grew larger.

"What?" Atem gasped, "The dark souls must still be fighting for freedom! We need more power!" he bellowed.

Yugi raced to his side, "We need more creatures. Where are they?"

Atem shook his head, "I don't know."

Tsuki and her monsters were soon at his side, "So what's the plan, Pharaoh? I don't know how long Trident Dragon will hold up." She winced.

Mahad and Mana returned with the gang: Joey, Tristan, Tea and Kaiba, and the remaining members of his family and friends: Isis, his parents, Shimon and Kisara. They stared up at Dark Soul Dragon in horror. He was almost covering the sun, fighting claw for claw and head for head with Trident Dragon and the three gods.

It grew larger with every passing second, tail and head whipping, flames flying and darkness twining around the creatures.

"Atem," Mana said quickly, "I found a softer area on the back of its neck."

"Excellent, Mana!" Atem exclaimed.

Kaiba folded his arms. "You're going to need one heck of a strategy to defeat _that _thing."

Joey growled, "Shove off, rich boy!"

"Joey," Tea muttered, scolding, elbowing him roughly. "Just let it go." Amazingly, he did.

"I have an idea," Yugi said tentatively.

Atem nodded, "Go on, Yugi."

* * *

><p><strong>I hope that wasn't too confusing... ConCrit people! <strong>

**Am I killing you? Yeah, I know, bad place to leave it—_again. _Anyway, we're almost done!**

**In your spare time, there's really only one thing you can do, isn't there? **

**Review! ^O^**

**-Anevay**


	44. The Finale: part ll

**Disclaimer: _no no no_ I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh don't remind me! (There's my nonstop angry rant for the day. Hope you liked it.)**

Author's note: Well, here we are again! I think I'll be glad when this is over, but I think you guys might be kinda sad ;) don't worry, I have other fics in the works. If you look on my profile under upcoming fics, you'll see I have quite a few things planned!

Ally: _Too _many, I think…

Anevay: Yeah…

Thanks/responses:

Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight, Mirror's Mirage, Cometflight525, fan person, Chistarpax (that Kaiba. Sigh), RedRosePetal, Khemet- Egyptian vampire, Blaze-Cloud, littlekuribohlover **& **jak dragon!**

**The Trio of Twilight**: (Ally wants to say—) _Hi! _XD I have to say, I like you. You acknowledge my presence! Since I'm obviously awesome…

Anevay: Oh, Ally…

**Mirror's Mirage**: haha, thanks! I really wanted an epic Yugi moment, so there it was.

**Cometflight525**: whoo, good. Lol! I think a hundred chapters would be too much! Its okay, you can read this as many times as you'd like ;) no! I called Atem and Mahad! And yes, since he is the King of Games, you shall fail ^o^ hate to break it to you, but it's just the truth.

**Fan person**: thanks X) I had to have me some Yugi! Huzzah! We're home! Yeah, I kind of miss that little adventure… and look at that, with no interruption from jak dragon! Where'd he go, anyway? Hope we didn't scare him off… or Ally (glares. She just smiles) I think I miss you too :o maybe we should get a joined review room :) after all, all I have for company is Ally (as much _fun _as she is) and you have Atem, who we still need to get back at… (smiles deviously) and how shall we do that, fan person?

**RedRosePetal**: hehe, I do try ^o^ thanks! I feel like it moved to fast, but who knows.

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: Oh, Atem, you are so _attractive… _(Clears throat) How dare you accuse me of accusing you of wanting to play this game! (If that made sense) I shall triumph over all! Oh, Ally says: How dare we play this game! (It always comes back to that…)

**Blaze-Cloud**: hahahah what? How does this make any sense whatsoever? Of course I want to join in! Haha I loved your statement: YUGI IS A WARRIOR! YEAH, CHOKE ON THAT, EREBUS! Because yes, Erebus sucks X) and what was that about going around a mountain, Rune? Anyway, here we go! (Jumps in and starts dancing. Ally stares in shock) HEY! I wanna party too! What am I, Erebus?

**Littlekuribohlover**: naw, that's alright. I hate virus's! My computer has gotten them before and they suck like none other. :/ (Ally takes over and starts typing happily) Finally another reviewer acknowledges my presence! Huzzah X) an antagonist, ay? We'll PM you on that! I would be delighted to meet your Yami X) I'm sure we would get along excellently.

**Jak dragon**: uh, sorry, we kind of finished your battle while you weren't here soooo… (awkward silence) well, nothing can be done about it! I'm not sure where you are, home, Realm of Beasts, whatever, you know – but we are kind of already back where we belong… :o

*-Special thanks this chap goes to **RedRosePetal** for favoriting Boredom Games _and _reviewing, _and _favorite authoring me! XD Gracias, chica! Other thanks to **ThePursuit **for favoriting The Afterlife!

-I have discovered today that everyone loves Yugioh one way or another ^o^ And I decided that one of my favorite episodes is called Shadow Duel or Shadow of a Duel (depending on the website. It's in Season 2: Battle City Tournament). It's a Bakura episode ^O^ and he's just _so _chill! Nothing fazes him, I swear! He's so freaking awesome. Also, I am drawing the Pharaoh and he is really shmexy. (Coughs awkwardly) _ANY_way, here we go…

* * *

><p><em>The Finale: part 11<em>

As the first part of the plan, Mahad cast his spell.

A thick fog spread across the ground and into the air before the ruined Palace Gate, inside the courtyard, circling around the massive dragon. Everyone battling the Dark Soul Dragon dispersed.

The beast growled suspiciously into the fog, metallic teeth barred. Its beady black eyes were narrowed, and it sniffed. A low snarl tore through it teeth. It was no fool. It knew a plan when it saw one.

Erebus' conscience, inside the dragon, spotted the plan as well.

He knew that if their plan worked, he would probably be destroyed with the dragon, but at least he would have tried. At least he wouldn't be tortured and berated by the Dark One. He was frightening when he was angry. At least he wouldn't have to endure that.

And perhaps that was the only mercy he would receive.

Yugi's plan was put into effect.

The attackers positioned themselves in small groups around the dragon.

Atem and Yugi had taken the back, ready to charge up the beast's spine with Black Luster Soldier and Celtic Guardian. Mahad and Mana were on either side preparing a synchronized magic attack, each accompanied by other Magicians. At one of the back corners was Shimon, Aknamkanon, Exodia and, incredibly, Hassan, along with a creature called the Spirit of the Pharaoh. At the other corner were Isis, Joey, Ryou, Tristan and Tea, who had all summoned monsters of their own: Spyria, Red Eyes, Shovel Crusher, Flame Swordsman, Gilford the Lightning, Gearfreed, the battleguards, Gandora, and others.

Tsuki's Trident Dragon and Flame Champion were directly before the beast, with Flame Champion attempting to sooth the dragon as it spat for the blood of the dark dragon. Tsuki herself, Hikari, Black Flame Soldier, and a monster Hikari had summoned up, the Prime Material Dragon, a sleek gold dragon with a long head and wings, were all positioned at one front-most corner. In the other was Kaiba, Kisara, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, Blue Eyes Shining Dragon, and Kisara's single Blue Eyes—it was amazing there could be so many of them.

The Knights of Atlantis searched for weak spots that needed an extra boost in attack.

The Gods held the skies.

They knew that this one attack could either destroy many of them, or destroy the dragon—or both. They were hoping to simply destroy the dragon, and whatever was left of Erebus.

Atem knew he would have to be at his top strength for this. He would have to call upon his magic again.

Yugi was still fused with the Silent Swordsman, and Black Luster Soldier and Celtic Guardian stood nearby. They would need all the help they could get, and that included Atem. Kuriboh floated over to them, crying in excitement. Or maybe it was urgency. Or panic. You just couldn't tell with him.

Yugi had completely discarded the wand Mahad had given to him, handing it to Hikari, who had then begun to study it. Yugi had wished her luck. Magic just wasn't for him.

He looked over at Atem as he felt a sudden change in his mood. He found the Pharaoh with his arms crossed over his chest, head bowed and eyes closed, his mouth moving soundlessly. He was speaking another spell; using his magic.

Atem actually began to glow with a strange golden light. The new sword at his waist glinted. As he watched, a wave of light with a follow-up of purple rolled across the Pharaoh's form. It left behind new attire: he wore his Millennium Eye crown, only it appeared to have points now, like a stereo-typical crown. His outfit changed from the dirt-covered modern clothing and torn blue cloak to golden armor. A gold-plated kilt with shoulder coverings, armored boots, a new deep blue cape, and adornments along the length of his legs and arms. Everything shined.

The Pharaoh opened his eyes, letting out a gentle breath of air.

"This is it, Yugi," he said. "We could win right here."

"Yeah," Yugi agreed breathlessly, nodding. "I hope we do."

"We must," whispered Atem. "Or all hope is lost."

As the next part of the plan, Mahad and Mana cast another spell.

The fog condensed around the groups, leaving foggy areas while others were clear. Dark Soul sniffed in the direction of the front group, beady eyes wondering.

Trident Dragon burst from cover, engaging the dragon immediately. Talons and wings flashed. Dark Soul engaged Trident Dragon mightily, shaking its head and lashing out against it. Flame Champion, below, quickly dodged the two dragon's huge feet. Being crushed wouldn't help anything.

The next part of the plan took place.

The three different Blue Eyes, encouraged by Kaiba and Kisara, now engaged Dark Soul. Their light made the dragon cower in fear – pure darkness and pure light didn't mix well.

Next, from the opposite, back corner, came Aknamkanon, Hasan, Spirit of the Pharaoh – along with Exodia and Shimon. Shimon was shouting something to him. Probably something along the lines of: "Oi, Exodia, put your back into it! You're not going to get anywhere with that!"

Oh, Shimon.

Next up was Tsuki's group. Black Flame Soldier went on the offensive, leaping astride Trident Dragon as if he were a footstool and directing it with reins of black flames about its three great necks. Tsuki cheered from bellow while Hikari sent her dragon into the fight, holding the wand she had got from Yugi, and surprisingly, grinning.

Isis, Ryou, Joey, Tristan and Tea sent their group forward next. Red Eyes, Gandora, Spiria, etc – Dark Soul was completely surrounded, constantly being leapt on and attacked by every manner of monsters.

Now it was the Gods turn.

Obelisk crashed in first, dropped by Slifer and Ra right on top of the dragon so that he screeched in complaint. Obelisk squeezed its head while it tried to lash out and snap at both Trident and Obelisk at the same moment. Next came Slifer, wrapping his long body around Dark Soul multiple times, his second mouth open with a threatening sphere of lightning energy ready.

Last came Ra, shining on Dark Soul in Phoenix form with a light that blinded it. Dark Soul Dragon screamed in anguish. The monsters were too much.

Dark Soul Dragon was sure to be finished.

Atem felt a sudden dark presence nearing. His head flashed towards the distant gate, eyes narrowed. "Do you feel that?" he asked.

Yugi nodded, "Feels familiar."

Right on cue, a huge grey and black, winged, snake-tailed monster burst through one of the only maintained section of the gate.

"Couldn't he at least have used the already ruined sections?" Atem muttered in attempt to lighten the mood, sighing.

Standing on the head of the enormous creature was none other than their fallen foe…

"Bakura," Atem snarled under his breath. "I should have known."

Yugi bit his lip. "That's not good…"

Atem made up his mind in a fraction of a second. "Yugi, this is your plan. Go with Black Luster Soldier and Celtic Guardian and take down Dark Soul Dragon."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to deal with an old enemy," Atem said darkly.

Without another word, he marched away, fists clenched.

"I won't let you down, Atem!" Yugi called after him. "I promise."

_I know, Yugi, _Atem thought, _that's why I left the task to you. Believe in yourself, my friend._

Yugi took a deep breath, watching Atem's back in concern as he walked away. He was sure he could deal with Bakura, but he wasn't sure that _he _himself could do this without the Pharaoh. He was the expert swordsman, not Yugi.

Then again, he was fused with Silent Swordsman, and he had two excellent and experienced swordsmen to help him out. Not to mention all of his friends, and all those that remained of the Pharaoh's court.

Someone tapped him on the shoulder.

The three Legendary Knights were smiling at him. Timaeus inclined his head, "It's time we did our part to bring down this evil, Yugi. Allow us to join you."

Yugi beamed, "You got it!"

* * *

><p>Bakura was waiting for him.<p>

And, naturally, he was smirking, completely unfazed by the fact that Dark Soul and Erebus were being destroyed. He wasn't intimidated by the Pharaoh's appearance either.

Not even when he swung his khopesh sword free, the jagged sapphire at the hilt's end glowing unnaturally and a bolt of magic smacked Diabound in the chest, causing the beast to stir and growl uncomfortably. Bakura simply stood there, maintaining his balance easily and sneering. "Oh, quiet down, Diabound," he shushed, "I'm sure it only tickled."

"I should have known you would show up, Bakura," Atem called.

"But of course," the thief agreed, "I still want something from you."

"Then we'll duel," Atem said, raising his sword. "Are you a coward, or are you going to fight me like a man?"

Bakura gave a mock pout, "Oh, but dueling with Diabound is so much more fun. A swordfight would accomplish nothing."

"Then combine with your Diabound and duel me that way," Atem said dismissively, "It matters not what condition or shape you battle me in, so long as you fight me like a man for once and stop _hiding _behind others!"

"Hiding?" Bakura scoffed, jumping easily down from Diabound's head. "You _dare_ accuse _me, _of _hid_ing, _Pharaoh? _Look at you! All you ever do is hide behind your precious _Guardians _and little Yugi!" His voice slowly grew louder with each word, and he swept his hand across the air, one fist clenched in the Pharaoh's direction, "You call _me a coward! _Just look at _yourself!"_

"I never hide," Atem said dangerously.

"Nor do I," Bakura replied with a smile.

"Then duel me on even terms," Atem continued. "Sword for sword or fist for fist, magic, I don't care. You will disappear forever _now, _and _I _shall be the one to _do it!"_

"Funny," Bakura snickered, "I was going to say the same thing. We're a lot alike, you and I."

The Pharaoh clenched his teeth, "We are _nothing _alike! Now pick your terms, Bakura. I will take you down one way or another."

"Fine," agreed the thief easily. "We duel with a mix of magic, monster, sword and combat."

"Agreed. I shall use sword, combat and magic."

The Thief King drew a short black sword from beneath his black robes. It had a slight curve like a khopesh blade, double-edged, long-hilted and seemingly plain. "Coincidentally, Pharaoh, I choose the same." His eyes glinted manically and he smiled darkly, "Now let the duel begin!"

* * *

><p>Dark Soul Dragon was completely impounded on by every creature possible. He could barely move, converged on by three different Blue Eyes, Trident Dragon, Red Eyes, and the three Egyptian Gods. Its scales resisted all direct attacks, but it almost couldn't move, and that was what they needed.<p>

Yugi knew what he had to do. Mahad and Mana were the final pieces to the puzzle.

Almost as if they had heard his thoughts, the Magicians and the other spellcasters circled Dark Soul. Ropes of purple and black shadows interweaved between the arms of the Gods and the other monsters, wrapping around Dark Soul's body to pin its legs and wings to its body. Still the Gods held it down, with Trident Dragon, Exodia and the Blue Eyes looming nearby. It wasn't finished yet.

Yugi nodded and his five companions nodded at one another, and together, charged across the dragon's enormous back.

At Yugi's steps, Dark Soul stirred angrily, nearly throwing them off. It sensed their intentions, thanks to Erebus conscience inside of it, and it didn't like them at all.

Yugi remembered where the fleshy portion had been. The base of its neck; right between the scales, where there was a large portion of skin exposed. It was sure to be its weakest area. He stopped them when they reached the edge of the amazingly large area of scale-less skin.

He looked to Timaeus, "There's only one right way to do it."

Timaeus nodded. "Correct. The heart of the dragon beats close. Now we must reach it."

Silent Swordsman's broadsword just wasn't long enough. Yugi knew he would have to use some sort of magic, and sighed. "There's only one thing to do…" he muttered. Holding out the broadsword, he closed his eyes as Atem had done, and felt for the magic he had felt inside the Pharaoh. Actually feeling the Pharaoh do magic had been a much better example than simply instructions.

To his surprise and excitement, the magic flowed free with his will, straight into the sword.

"Ready?" he asked without opening his eyes. "When I say!"

The five knights took their places on the fleshy portion of the dragon. Dark Soul shook itself restlessly. It knew its days were numbered. Soon it would become nothing but bits and pieces, just like the Dark One.

Yugi moved to the center, sword poised over the gray skin. His eyes remained closed. "Alright, _now!"_

The six warriors blades broke the skin, piercing it to the hilt.

Yugi's magic elongated his blade inside the skin, reaching out to the others swords and lengthening them. As the sharp swords extended, their tips split the heart of the great, and terrible, dark dragon

Dark Soul Dragon screeched. Mixed in with its bone-chilling cry, came the scream of Erebus. He had failed. Zorc would not rise again.

Dark Soul collapsed, finally dead.

* * *

><p>The Pharaoh and the Thief King went at it.<p>

Atem jumped forward, sword in a downward arch. Bakura intercepted it with his comparatively short blade, stepping in and ramming Atem in the gut. The Pharaoh replied by freeing an arm and jamming it into the thief's chest, pushing him away. Almost immediately, they were both attacking, swords clanging.

The sudden scream from Dark Soul did not faze them. Their concentration remained solely on their opponent. Steel clashed, black against gold. Both men grunted as their hilts locked, leaving them face to face.

"It appears we are at a stalemate," Bakura grunted, smirking.

"Looks can be deceiving," Atem grunted in reply, and his knee jerked up to take the thief in the stomach.

Bakura wasn't deterred by it. He merely grinned and pushed his sword harder, pushing their blades into the air, still locked. Bakura took the Pharaoh's leg out from under him by hooking his foot on the king's ankle, sending him to the ground.

"You're right," Bakura agreed, "Looks _can_ be deceiving."

Before his sword could pierce him, Atem threw his hand forward and blasted him back with a swirling vine of shadow magic, which wrapped around him, growing more complicated. Bakura retained his feet, "Oh, so we're going to play with shadows, are we? Fine!" and from his own palm came a great twisting ribbon of shadows, changing to become more of a root system as it neared the Pharaoh.

The roots twisted around Atem, and he cut through them with his enhanced blade easily. Bakura's sword must have had some effect on them as well, because it actually _absorbed _the shadows; both his and Bakura's cast shadow spells.

"It seems you've learned a few more tricks since we last fought," the Pharaoh commented.

"And it seems you have retained your old skill," Bakura replied with a wicked sneer.

The two men went at it again. They were nearly evenly matched.

Bakura suddenly shoved all of his weight at Atem, and they went tumbling across the ground. They went into nearly a wrestle, swords discarded. The thief managed to get the Pharaoh into a choke hold, muscles bunching.

"You were right to choose this kind of battle," Bakura hissed menacingly, "It's much more satisfying, wouldn't you agree?"

Atem's elbow jammed into Bakura's throat, and he was released. The Pharaoh pounced on him, digging his knee into his back and twisting his head to the side. "Yes, actually, I would."

Bakura chuckled. "We are _so _much more _alike_ than you care to admit, _Pharoah."_

"_Never," _Atem snarled near the Thief King's ear.

Bakura merely emitted a low laugh, slowly growing. "We'll just see about that."

In an incredible show of strength and experience, Bakura used mere speed to roll from beneath the Pharaoh's weight, pushing to his feet. Atem regained his footing quickly, sword in hand. Bakura had retained his short sword and was advancing.

The swords rang loudly, drawing the attention of those celebrating Dark Soul Dragon's downfall. Neither Atem nor Bakura had realized the dragon had fallen, or that the others had been cheering half the time they had been battling. They still didn't realize it.

Of course, it wouldn't have mattered if they had. Both men were committed to fighting to the death.

Whatever that meant.

Yugi had cheered with the others at first, but then he had noticed Atem's battle with Bakura. He knew that Atem was doing well, but he couldn't be sure who was winning. It appeared to be even.

Those celebrating fell nearly silent now, watching what was sure to be the final battle of what had been a long war with darkness.

What Atem didn't know was that the souls that had been taken had already returned.

What he didn't know was that he didn't have to fight Bakura. It hadn't been necessary to challenge him – if he had waited until Dark Soul had fallen, Bakura would have fled.

But that wasn't good enough.

Atem wanted him gone forever. He wanted him to be destroyed, just like so many of the souls Erebus had taken—it wasn't fair, he knew. Bakura hadn't done that, but he had helped. He had done so much more, too. He had caused him and so many he cared about the awful pain and misery they had experienced in the past. He had taken Mahad's life and his own. He had caused Yugi and his friends misery. His entire past was Bakura's fault.

And he wanted him gone. Destroyed. Worse than dead.

Presently, Bakura was laughing.

_Laughing._

Atem gritted his teeth angrily, pushing off from the thief. "You _disgust _me," he snarled.

Bakura merely smiled. "And you think I care? I could say the same about you and your father, and his brother!"

"The past is _gone!"_ Atem declared angrily. "There is nothing you can do! You're _dead, _Bakura, and so am I! You got your revenge," he snapped, "Don't you realize that? You made my life a living nightmare! You took Mahad, destroyed Egypt, killed thousands of people who's loved ones lived on in despair from then on, and in the end, _I _had to give up my life in order to seal Zorc away! To defeat you I had to die! You _have had _your revenge! What more do you want from me?"

"It is never enough," Bakura rasped angrily.

Atem shook his head, "I feel sorry for you, Bakura. You can't move on. You can't find happiness, joy, love, friendship or anything _good _in life. All you find is darkness and revenge. All you seek is power, and for that I am truly sorry."

"Don't tell me about myself!" the thief bellowed, eyes a mask of pain and anger. "I know what I want! I know who I am! And I know exactly how to get it."

His face formed a smirk, and he flashed forward with a dagger in hand.

Just as it was about to sink into the Pharaoh's flesh, a ball of dark magic threw him away like a rag doll. He sat up in a flash, rage written on every line of his face.

That rage was somewhat dulled as he smirked in amusement at the sight before him.

It was Mana.

Her lips trembled and there were tears of fury in her eyes. "You made me life without him, withoutthem," she whispered. "You took my best friends away from me."

A build up of power surged from Mana's wand abruptly. In a flash, the Thief King Bakura was gone, and so was Diabound. All that was left now was dust floating on the wind, and the silence of a war finally won.

That was when the cheers and screams of joy erupted.

Atem circled around to see Mana's face. There were tears in her eyes, and when she met his, she beamed. Quickly, she tackled him with a scream of delight. He held her, closing his eyes. They had won. It was over.

Maybe now, they could finally rest in peace.

Although, he highly doubted it, but one could always hope.

* * *

><p><strong>Whoo. I'm tired. (falls asleep)<strong>

**Ally: Alrighty, well, we've got an ending chapter to close things up and then a few epilogues left. X)**

**Nighty, night, we off to bed! Even though Anevay is already asleep…**

**You know the drill: review! XD**

**-Ally and Anevay (who is asleep)**


	45. Goodbyes

**Disclaimer: one of the last disclaimers. Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, in case you were wondering.**

Author's note: True Yu-Gi-Oh story of the day: so I'm sitting there watching T.V. and a commercial comes on about 4kids T.V. and the shows that are on on Saturday mornings, and it's going through them, you know, and then I see the title of all of our show: Yu-Gi-Oh! And then the Pharaoh was there and he said: "So make your move." And yes, I will admit that I squealed a bit—okay, a lot. I squealed and exclaimed: _"Yu-Gi-Oh!" _So there's my story! ^o^ Good thing no one was in the room but me!

Ally: Cool story…

Anevay: Yes, yes it is. Well look at that… here we are… at the end…

Ally: Are you _trying _to depress them?

Anevay: Naturally.

Ally: _Anyway_… gracias/responsesness and so forth:

(Anevay is back) Reviewers: **The Trio of Twilight, Cometflight525, Chistarpax (thanks!), Aqua girl 007 (gracias!), RedRosePetal, fan person, Khemet- Egyptian vampire, Blaze-Cloud, princess atemma, jak dragon **& **littlekuribohlover!**

**The Trio of Twilight**: yes, you can always reread it ;) hah me and Ally have an interesting relationship. She's a strange person to have running around in my head. Huzzah for Mana and Atem! XD

**Cometflight525**: thank you! Hahah I wanna see Atem in that outfit too…! I'm glad I could scare you ;) and yes, I'm not surprised that you lost X) I have to get me some revenge on Atem too, you know. Here, Ally will come get you, since she conquered the Shadow Realm and all.

Ally: I'm coming, Cometflight525!

**Mirror's Mirage**: haha it's actually 2 in Roman numerals! Sorry if that was confusing :P oh, Hassan is that guy in the Millennium World arc that protects Atem from Aknadin and Zorc… he's the ancient protector of the Pharaohs. It's okay, I'm just happy for the review :) so thank you!

**RedRosePetal**: hehe why thank you. Si – this is why I PM you! XD

**fan person**: Sweet! Your yami got what was comin to her. X) how we gonna get Atem back, now? After all, he's the reason we were there in the first place… yay for FFnet friends! ^O^

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: How dare you play along ^o^ I'd say there should be about one or two epilogues after this, depending… we'll see how I decide to break it up, but it'll probably just be one.

**Blaze-Cloud**: :) I stopped dancing! Huzzahs! I know Ally had some EpicJuice, but I honestly didn't take any. Yeah, yeah we are cool like that. (Joins in dancing)

Ally: WHOO! EPICJUICE! Dancing! Partaaayyyy.

Anevay: uh-oh… this can't be good…

**Littlekuribohlover**: (I'll let Ally take this one) *smiles* we are always happy to help! PM message on the way soon. Hello, LKLY. Wonder if there's something easier to call you… got a preference? After all, we yami's gotta stick together (even though I'm not officially a yami) I think Anevay is good at writing the stories, I just need her to get a move on! She a naughty little writer. X)

**Jak dragon**: thank you X) hah! I'll only write a GX if I get more people asking. In all honesty, I don't like GX very much. Nothing beats the original ^O^

**Princess atemma**: aw thank you! Stay tuned for more stories :) cause there will be more!

Anevay: Well, now that that's done, I guess I should get to writing, huh?

Warning! There will be drama, fluff, cheese, and all that great Yu-Gi-Oh related stuff! ^o^

* * *

><p><em>Goodbyes<em>

Yugi couldn't believe it was over.

After all this time (for it seemed forever), they had finally won. It was almost like before the Pharaoh had left, the events recurring in a shorter period of time; now there was sure to be a bitter-sweet end.

Yugi knew he would have to go back home. Now that things were finished, it was going to be like Atem leaving all over again—and Yugi wasn't sure he wanted that.

And that was probably the only thing that made this triumph bitter.

As soon as Bakura had jumped forward, Mana was the first to step in. Now the two stood embracing. Mana was shaking as she cried into Atem's shoulder. Atem, for his part, was smiling and rubbing her back soothingly, kissing her head every now and then.

The dark feeling to the Afterlife had lifted. Above it was blue again and there was no longer a black fog lingering in the air. The sun was just past its highest point, and big clouds were rolling across the blue-painted sky.

Below the Palace, the people had returned to the last place they had been. Realizing where they were, they were now cheering and shouting. Surely their Pharaoh had triumphed.

The soldiers, those who had fought for the Pharaoh, had appeared as well.

Down in the dungeons, Seto had returned.

In one of the doorways to the front courtyard, before the gate, Karim and Shada were getting to their feet.

Everyone was grouping around the Queen and King now, chatting animatedly all at once, cheering and smiling. Aknamkanon's laugh was a prominent sound in the mix. Yugi and the gang tackled Atem and Mana, nearly bringing them to the ground. The Guardians were next, although they didn't behave in the same enthusiastic manner as the others. The Priests were too dignified to do that.

Well, except maybe Shimon.

"Yes! Yes, well done, Pharaoh!" he exclaimed, shaking Atem's forearm. Then he turned to Yugi, shaking his hand enthusiastically, "Yugi, that was incredible!" now he was by Mana and Atem again, jiggling their grasped hands with a smile, "Mana, amazing! Ah, what a rush! We've finally _won!" _he shouted, laughing triumphantly and dancing on the spot. Everyone burst into laughter, and Shimon realized that he was acting, to say the least, undignified. He cleared his throat and straightened up, his cheeks coloring, "Uh, I mean, well done, everyone. We have finally defeated the evil."

No one stopped laughing. Even the Guardians had burst into fits of giggles – including Mahad, who, at first, had tried to hold it in, but gave up and chuckled. Isis was attempting to stop giggling, but even she was tickled by Shimon's display. Aknamkanon was slapping Shimon on the back heartily, shaking his head. As soon as Karim and Shada were noticed, they were bombarded by Mahad, Isis, Atem and Mana, asking if they were alright and embracing.

It was a warm scene that was more of a cheese-fest than anything, but still a scene of warmth.

It became even more so when Seto appeared, staring around in both amazement and horror. The renovations that would have to be put into rebuilding the Palace were atrocious. Rebuilding would require stone; refurbishing _and _rebuilding would require furniture, paint, men, time, equipment—the place really was in awful shape. This was going to be a colossal project. Just thinking about it gave him a headache.

Looking up, Seto saw an icy-haired woman smiling at him hugely.

Incredibly, he smiled back.

"Kisara," he breathed, burdens suddenly lifting. He strode towards her, taking huge strides with his long legs. Before he knew it, they were embracing and his heart was light.

"Seto," she smiled, "You're back."

As soon as _that _was done, the other Guardians were greeting him happily.

Kaiba scowled, gagging in the back of his mouth. This love-fest was making him sick. It was all around him, and he almost couldn't take it. He just wanted to get back home: to Mokuba and his company. And Kou. They would be worried about him.

Kaiba and Seto awkwardly locked eyes. They looked nearly the same. Both quickly looked away, electing to ignore one another. If one of them was a pain, two would be even worse.

Kaiba turned his gaze on Atem, who was still holding Mana. He meant it to be harsh, but somehow he couldn't say it that way. His lip curled up in what _could _be called a smile, for Kaiba anyway. "Pharaoh," he called, drawing his attention.

Atem looked up curiously, "Kaiba."

"I hope you're not just going to send us away without dueling me first."

Atem threw his head back and laughed, "Of course not, Kaiba. It would be a pleasure to duel you." He should have known.

Kaiba nodded in satisfaction, smirking slightly, "I hope you can keep up after all your time off a duel disk playing king. I wouldn't want you to get behind when we duel."

Atem smiled. Some people, like Kaiba, never really changed.

Mahad shook his head as he watched the exchange. The Pharaoh was right—Seto's descendent was much worse than Seto himself.

The Magician jumped when he felt someone slide their hand into his, but relaxed when he saw Isis' blue eyes smiling up at him. He held her hand tightly, a gentle smile gracing his lips. He could finally breathe easy now.

Yugi, for his part, was still thinking about leaving.

Atem sensed this and set a hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly. He smiled, trying to ease the boy's melancholy thoughts. _Don't think about it, _he encouraged mentally. _Don't dwell on tomorrow today. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, Yugi._

Yugi took a long breath before letting it out, nodding and grinning at Atem. He was right. He shouldn't think about that just yet. _You're right. Thanks, Atem._

Atem nodded. They would talk later.

Tea suddenly hugged Yugi, grinning. Yugi smiled and returned the embrace. He felt his heart beating around inside his rib cage; it seemed to beat faster when Tea kissed him. He was grinning hugely.

The others were dancing around in excitement, if only to soak in the sudden enlightenment inside. They all knew how hard it had been for everyone, and now everything was finally over.

Tsuki suddenly threw her arms around Atem and Mana, laughing. Hikari danced around them once before joined Tsuki, and the two attempted to hoist the Pharaoh onto their shoulders—Joey, Tristan and Ryou were quick to help, and Yugi and Tea—then Mana was thrown up on top of Atem. She squeaked and threw her arms around his neck, smiling at him.

And they were carried inside that way, with the others circling around them like an honor guard.

* * *

><p>Later, the people inside the Palace were already beginning the reconstruction. Egypt was celebrating, fixing their homes with the help of the soldiers from the armies of Dartz, Tastan and Alexander. Even though they had arrived a bit late to help in the actual fighting, their assistance was extremely helpful in rebuilding everything that had been ruined—and capturing the dark souls that had managed to escape.<p>

Many of the dark souls that hadn't been destroyed had already surrendered, but some of them were still on the loose. After all, the priests couldn't handle everything.

For the most part, everyone was resting or sitting around talking.

However, Atem and Kaiba were getting ready to duel.

Yugi had offered to lend Atem his deck and duel disk, but Atem replied that he already had such items. Kaiba and Atem agreed to have the duel the next day, and set to laying out their strategies.

Yugi talked to Atem while he prepared his deck's strategy, occasionally throwing in a suggestion. They both avoided the subject of leaving. Neither _wanted _to separate, but they knew it would have to happen eventually. It was something they both dreaded.

Mana sat beside Atem the entire time, leaning against him and doodling on some papyrus. The three sat in a comfortable sitting room, newly furnished with deep blue and brown furniture. They were grouped around a small table where Atem had his deck laid out.

The Guardians were directing the rebuilding. Mahad and Seto had suggested several new ideas for the Palace, including a differently built front gate. Then Isis, Karim and Shada began to throw in other ideas, and the renovations had begun. There was nothing the priests loved more than their work.

Mana, naturally, was doing _her _job: body guarding. And yes, she loved her work just like the other Guardians.

Joey and Tristan were doing who knows what, running around the Palace like maniacs and occasionally helping rebuild, but mostly playing with their duel monsters that had stuck around. Many of them had, including Tuski's Black Flame Soldier, who continued to refuse to leave her side. Hikari was sticking with Tsuki, as always, but she had a new tool to play with: Yugi's discarded wand.

Ryou had requested, quietly, to be left to himself to think.

Tea, well, they weren't sure what Tea was doing. However, their question was answered when Tea came into the room several minutes later and joined them. "I talked to Mahad," she said, smiling at the three of them, and then continued hesitantly: "He said we all need to leave within the week. The balance change will come quickly, so we need to be on the other side to even it out. If we don't do it before then, we could mess it all up again. We were only able to jump between our two worlds before because the balance was all wrong and things were colliding on both sides anyway." She looked down, "I thought we should know when we had to go, so we weren't disillusioned that we could, you know, stay longer."

Atem sighed. He had known the topic would come up; he just wished it hadn't been now. It was still a sore subject with him and, he knew, with Yugi.

"Mana," Atem said, looking at her and giving her a look. She met his eyes curiously, then understanding cleared her gaze and she nodded. She stood and pecked him on the lips before taking Tea's arm and leaving the room. Atem then turned to Yugi.

Neither said anything for a moment. Atem sat back in his spot on the small couch, contemplating his friend sadly. Finally he had to break the silence. "We both know it has to happen, Yugi."

"I know," Yugi whispered. "I just…" he sniffled, and his older friend sat forward, urging him to continue. "It seems like we've had barely any time. We've been so busy with all this saving the world stuff, it just seems like that's all we do when we're together. I mean, I don't mean to be…"

Atem cut him off, "I'm sorry it has to be like that. I wish it wasn't. I wish you and I could spend time together without things going like this." Yugi looked up to see a pained expression on the Pharaoh's face. He took a deep breath, "I didn't tell you earlier, Yugi, but you were incredible today. You destroyed Dark Soul without me, and that alone proves that you don't need me. But then," he grimaced, "We already knew that, didn't we?"

Yugi beamed at the compliment. It wasn't every day that Atem handed out that kind of praise. He nodded, still smiling, "What else was I supposed to do? I wasn't going to let you down, Atem. I owe you so much."

"But you don't," Atem disagreed, shaking his head, "You don't owe me nearly as much as I owe you, Yugi. You are always there to help me and never ask for anything in return."

Yugi smiled again. "It's like we always say, right? We help each other."

Atem nodded. "You're right. We do. And for you, Yugi, I am forever grateful. If you ever need anything, all you have to do is call."

"But, Atem…" Yugi trailed off sadly, "I'll never…"

Atem regretted the turn in conversation, and clasped the boy's arm. "What did I tell you at the end of our duel? You and I are never truly apart. When we're close, our mind link will work, and in a dire situation, I'm certain it will work for us then. And Yugi, I'm sure you and I will see each other again."

Yugi looked up quickly, perking. Atem smiled to see the sudden hope in his eyes.

The Pharaoh explained: "When people die, they return here. I'm the King of the Afterlife. I have access to every dimension of our world. This isn't goodbye," he said, shaking his head fractionally. "One day, you and I will meet again, Yugi. You are always welcome in my home."

A smile immediately lit Yugi's face. "Thank you, Atem. You're right! And before I have to go, you and I are going to have some fun."

* * *

><p>That night, Atem and Mana lay in bed.<p>

Mana was curled up against his chest, dozing off quickly. Atem wasn't sleeping. He was lying with his arms around her, thinking.

"What chu thinkin' 'bout," muttered Mana.

He sighed deeply, "When they leave."

She didn't have to ask to know who 'they' were. Barely awake, she asked, "What about it?"

"Oh, I don't know," he huffed, his fingers trailing through her hair. "Just wondering how things will go. What will happen."

"They'll leave and things will go on," she murmured. "They always do."

Atem had to marvel at Mana's sudden wisdom, especially half asleep. "Yes," he breathed, closing his eyes, "I suppose." Kissing her forehead, he whispered softly to her before they both fell asleep.

Yugi, on the other hand, couldn't sleep at all.

Sure, he would see Atem again, but that was a _long _ways away. Like, eighty, ninety years or something, depending on when he died. That seemed forever. Atem was his closest friend. He didn't want to just _leave._

And yet, he knew he would have to.

They had decided a date to leave: that Friday, six days away, and that was cutting it close.

In the meantime, they had plans to see the best places in the Afterlife, swimming, and just spending time together as friends, doing things together before their time was up. They didn't have that much of it themselves, even though Atem had all the time in the world—literally.

He sighed and rolled over, trying to sleep again.

The others drifted off to sleep nearly as slow, all reflecting back.

By morning, nearly every one of them had resolved to enjoy their time here while they could. Some of them made other decisions, but all were certain in their resolve. It was time to go home.

* * *

><p>The next day was the Pharaoh and Kaiba's duel.<p>

Everyone stood around to watch. The gang, the Guardians, Shimon, many of the servants—they all wanted to see the action.

The duel went quickly. Atem began it and Atem finished it. Kaiba, naturally, brought out his Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon and had an incredible lead at first. That was when Atem pulled out the big guns.

"Are you ready, Kaiba?" called the Pharaoh at the start of their duel.

"Are you kidding?" Kaiba smirked, "I've been ready. It's you I've been waiting for."

At that, Atem grinned, "I'll start things off, then. I draw!" he glanced at his cards and set two cards on the field, "I summon my Rapid Fire Magician in attack mode and place one facedown. Your move, Kaiba."

Rapid Fire Magician had sixteen-hundred attack points and twelve-hundred defense points. Kaiba beat it easily. "And I summon my mighty Battle Ox!" the Battle Ox glittered into existence, snarling and swinging his ax. "Destroy his Magician!"

"Not so fast, Kaiba! I activate my facedown: Five Star Twilight! This allows me to sacrifice one level five monster to summon the five Kuriboh brothers!" Rapid Fire Magician left in a flash of light, only to be replaced by five bouncing balls of fur.

Kaiba scowled. "Not _these _things."

"And now I combine my Kuriboh brothers," he declared, and the five began to bump into each other, rapidly bouncing around, until they all ran in to each other with a puff of smoke, leaving a different creature behind, "To form Kuribandit!" The new Kuriboh had two-thousand attack points and a mere three hundred defense points. "Now, destroy Battle Ox!"

Kaiba smirked, "I don't think so. Negate Attack!"

Kuribandit flew back from its attack, coming to a stand still and growling at the unharmed ox. Atem scowled, "Well played, Kaiba."

"Thank you," Kaiba said sarcastically. He drew. "First, I'll sacrifice my Battle Ox for my Lord of Dragons. You know what's next, don't you?"

Atem's eyes narrowed and he growled, "Your Blue Eyes!"

"Bingo," Kaiba agreed. "I play Flute of Summoning Dragon! This allows me to summon two dragons, and I summon my _Blue Eyes_ _White _Dragons!"

"_Two _of them?" the Pharaoh gasped, staring up at the massive dragons, "Already?"

Kaiba laughed manically. "Let's see if your fur-ball can take _this! _Blue Eyes, _White Lightning attack!"_

Kuribandit flashed away, leaving Atem defenseless.

"Well, this duel is going to be shorter than I thought," Kaiba said, and he threw his arm forward, "My second Blue Eyes, attack his life points directly with White Lightning!"

The crackling lightning crashed down on Atem, and the watchers gasped. Atem covered his face from the blow, glaring in Kaiba's direction when it was over. He had forgotten how lucky Kaiba was when it came to his Blue Eyes.

Atem was down to a mere thousand life points. The gang cheered him on from the sides, shouting encouragement. The Pharaoh knew that he had to pull a winner out of his hat if he was going to save himself. "My move," he said. Placing a hand on his deck, he closed his eyes and drew.

He smiled to see what card he had drawn. He turned that smile on Kaiba, whose face fell suspiciously. "Alright, Kaiba, I play this: Graceful Charity! Now I can draw three cards from my deck!" he drew—all he needed was three cards. He grinned again, almost smirking as he placed his drawn cards in his hand. "First, I'll use my Dark Magic Curtain card! Do you know what this card does, Kaiba?"

Kaiba scowled as the skull-headed curtain swirled into existence before the Pharaoh, preferring not to reply.

"Dark Magic Curtain allows me to summon my Dark Magician as soon as I pay half my life points," he explained, even though Kaiba knew. His life points drained to five hundred. "Now, my Dark Magician, come forth!"

Dark Magician stepped from the curtains. Of course, it was Mahad. He grinned at Kaiba.

"I still don't see what this does," Kaiba said in boredom, "You only have one magician, and he only has twenty-five hundred attack points. My Blue Eyes could destroy him easily."

Now it was Atem's turn to smirk, "Are you sure?" He slipped a card into the spell card slot, and a card appeared facedown. "For my final move, I'll place one card facedown. Your move, Kaiba."

Kaiba hesitated. No, he couldn't attack yet. He had to boost his points before he attacked. He drew—yes, that was the card he needed. "It's time, Pharaoh," he said in a low tone, "I play this: Polymerization! I'll summon my two Blue Eyes on the field with the one in my hand, to summon my ultimate creature!" he sneered, "Quite literally. _Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"_

Blue Eyes Ultimate, enormous with its three heads, leered at the Pharaoh with a roar.

Atem actually smiled.

Seto and Kisara blinked from the sidelines, obviously confused. This man, Seto's descendent, had a three-headed version of Kisara's Ka? How strange.

"That's what I wanted you to do, Kaiba," he called, "Because now I can play this!"

"What?" Kaiba demanded.

"It's my Knights Title!" Atem called, "And it allows me to _change _my Dark Magician, to Dark Magician Knight!"

Mahad's exterior changed. His armor shimmered and a cape fell down his back. Before him, a long sword appeared. He took it and ran his hand along the blade, so that it lit with a purple aura. He smiled in Kaiba's direction—although it was probably more of a smirk than anything else.

"That was pointless!" Kaiba yelled, "Your ridiculous magician has the same amount of attack points! Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, _Neutron Blast!"_

The three heads went back and came forward, each bearing a nasty surprise for Dark Magician Knight. However, they never had any effect on him.

"Dark Magician Knight, destroy Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon and end this!" yelled Atem over the noise.

The watchers were shielding themselves, wondering how the Pharaoh could possibly get himself out of this. Kaiba had a dragon with forty-five hundred attack points, and he still had all of his life points, while the king had a magician with half the attack and a mere five-hundred life points left.

When the smoke cleared and the screaming noise died down, Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon was gone.

"What happened!" Kaiba bellowed, "How did you pathetic knight defeat my dragon?"

Atem folded his arms, and Dark Magician Knight planted his sword in the ground. "Simple," he said with a smile, "My knight has a special effect. As soon as he's summoned, he can destroy one monster on the field. And since your Blue Eyes had forty-five hundred attack points, you lose all of your life points."

Kaiba gaped while the bystanders screamed loudly in excitement. The Pharaoh had won in a single move. Now _that_ was incredible.

Mahad's armor died away and his sword vanished. He grinned at the Pharaoh, "That was exciting," he commented.

They both turned as Kaiba approached them. He didn't look disappointed. He looked the same as ever—no emotion. "That was well played, Pharaoh," he complimented, surprising them. "You haven't lost your edge."

"Thank you, Kaiba," Atem said, dipping his head, "You are always a formidable opponent. It was a pleasure to duel you."

"Ditto," Kaiba said, and with that, he turned away. His shoulders were still held high and he bore that same air of confident, arrogance and pride. It was a good thing Kaiba's ego wasn't wounded easily anymore.

* * *

><p>The days seemed to fly by in a blur.<p>

They took a few days to tour the Afterlife. They spent another swimming. The last few days were spent in good company, simply enjoying their last moments together for a long time.

Finally, however, the day came.

Yugi got up that morning dreading the next few days. He knew that he would feel slightly depressed after getting home for a while. He knew he would miss Atem, Mana and Mahad; miss this place—but he would get over it. It was all for the best.

The hours leading up to it were quiet. Atem and Yugi had already talked about it and said their goodbyes. Tsuki made her plea a few hours before they left.

"Let me stay," she begged Atem.

Atem was surprised, "Stay, Tsuki? Why?"

"Because I'm _supposed _to be here!" she exclaimed, "Don't you think? I mean, you and I were friends forever ago—shouldn't I be here?"

Atem shook his head. "Tsuki, you must be in the World of the Living for a reason. You have to find that reason. Only when you die in that world can you return. Besides, you have family and friends there who need you. What about Hikari?"

Tsuki stopped short. "Yeah… but…"

Atem set a hand on her shoulder in understanding, "I know, Tsuki. I know how it feels to want to be where you belong, especially when you have someone waiting for you."

Tsuki sighed. "He doesn't talk unless we're alone, but I already know the truth."

He patted her shoulder. "He'll wait for you. Trust me."

Tsuki grimaced, "Well of course he will. And besides, Mana's proof. She waited for you for five-thousand years."

Atem grinned cheerfully, "Exactly."

The all left late that evening.

They stood in Mana's favorite garden: the Lotus Garden. She had decided it was a fitting place to send them off. And so there they stood.

Atem fingered his cartouche, considering his idea.

The gang stood with heads down, toeing the ground or studying their nails. Atem addressed them. "Your help was invaluable," he beamed, "All of you. We could never have won without your help."

They looked up now, smiling half-heartedly. He stepped forward imploringly, "Cheer up. You have just experienced something _incredible, _and you get to remember it all. You're heroes. This isn't goodbye. One day, I'm sure, we'll see one another again. It's time to go home—where you _should _be."

He saw their posture lift a little as they realized this. Joey and Tristan were nodding, Tsuki and Hikari were smiling, along with Ryou and Tea. Yugi's posture remained rigid, blinking every few seconds and attempting to smile, but he was resolved to their return.

Atem went down the row with Mana and Mahad, saying goodbye to them individually. He embraced a teary Tea, a smiling Ryou, a resolute Tsuki and excited Hikari, shook hands with a stoic yet respectful Kaiba, but was pounced on by Joey and Tristan—they were crying, voices choked.

"You-you take care of yourself, okay, Atem?" Tristan managed.

"Yeah," Joey agreed, sniffling, "Don't go getting into any trouble. And if you do, well, I'm sure Mahad'll be there to back ya up. Aright, Atem?"

The Pharoah chuckled slightly, "Joey, good luck with dueling. You're a great duelist. Tristan, well, keep being you. Thank you for everything."

"Naw, don't mention it," Tristan said, wiping his nose and they pulled away.

"Yeah, we didn't do much," Joey agreed.

Atem grinned and came, finally, to Yugi.

Tristan and Joey were crying all over again in the background as they enveloped both Mana and Mahad in a huge (and rather awkward) hug. All the two Magicians could do was pat them on the back carefully, trying to assure them.

Yugi blinked forcefully. Sadly, Atem smiled. Before he could say anything, Yugi attacked him with a hug, just like the day he had first arrived. He was crying.

Atem patted his young friend's back, embracing him tightly. This would be the last time he saw him for, well, what would seem a really long time. He was never quite used to the idea of being separated from one of his closest friends.

"There, there, Yugi," he said softly, "We talked about this. We're never really apart. One day, we'll meet again."

Yugi sniffled, squeezing Atem tightly once more before pulling back and wiping his sleeve beneath his nose. "I know," he said, "But that's so far away. I'm really going to miss you."

"And I you, Yugi," Atem smiled, hands on his shoulder. For a moment, he hesitated, still thinking about his idea. In a split second, he decided. He reached around behind his neck and unclasped his cartouche. Quickly, he glanced at Tea, who hastily nodded, so Atem continued. "Here, I want you to have this."

He hung it around Yugi's neck. "But it's your cartouche!" Yugi exclaimed, "I can't take this."

"You can," Atem contradicted, "And you will. It's yours now. Just a little piece of me, so you'll always remember." He finished clasping it and gave Yugi a serious look, "It will _only _work if you get specific permission from me. Use our mind link, and _only _in dire situations. We must not upset the delicate balance unless absolutely necessary, agreed?"

Yugi nodded, beaming, and quickly embraced Atem once more. "Thank you, Atem."

"Thank _you, _Yugi. You have done so much for me." And, once more just like the day Yugi had first arrived, he stepped back and bowed to him. "I am eternally in your debt."

Yugi gave a watery smile as Atem straightened. "Goodbye, Atem."

"Goodbye, Yugi."

They had already said all they needed to say.

Mahad and Mana both embraced Yugi briefly, sharing warm smiles.

The time had come.

The Pharaoh nodded at Mahad, who gestured to Yugi. "Insert the cartouche into the air, Yugi, and then step back."

Yugi removed the cartouche from his neck and did so, stepping back. Mahad then stood before the key, pulling above and below it to open the portal, and spoke a spell, touching the cartouche and then the barrier.

"There," he sighed in satisfaction.

"What'd you do, Mahad?" Tsuki wondered.

"I erased your disappearance from the minds of the world," he said simply, smiling. "And made the cartouche yours, Yugi. It now does exactly what the Pharaoh said it does." He stepped back and bowed to them, "Good luck. Thank you for your services to our king."

One by one, they entered the portal. Kaiba was first, of course. Ryou went next, and after that went Hikari, and then Tsuki, waving to Atem and Mana one last time, and secretly blowing a small kiss to the Black Flame Soldier standing behind (they had already said their goodbyes), before following her best friend.

Now it was just Tea, Tristan, Joey and Yugi.

They all looked back at Atem. He smiled and gave them a thumb's up, raising his eyebrows, "It's your move."

They beamed and returned the gesture. Tea turned first, entering the portal before she broke down. Joey pushed Tristan through, who jerked Joey after him. Yugi grinned, looking back once more. His heart jerked as he met eyes with Atem for the last time.

For a moment, he had to take a deep breath.

"If it means anything," he said slowly, remembering Atem's statement what seemed so long ago. "I would have wanted you for my brother too."

Atem nodded, a smile sliding across his face.

Yugi beamed.

He gripped the chain to the cartouche, and tugged as he stepped through.

The last thing he saw was Atem smiling.

He stepped up to his friends, who were laughing. Kaiba was already gone, but Ryou, Tsuki and Hikari weren't. Joey and Tristan were arguing, while Tea met his eyes questioningly.

Yugi smiled and looked behind him, back to where the portal had been. Atem was right. This wasn't goodbye.

* * *

><p><strong>Aw, a bitter-sweet ending. Now I'm kind of sad…<strong>

**Do you know how _long _this is? Nine pages. Do you know what _time _it is? 2:10 AM. Do you know what time I have to get up tomorrow? _7:00!_ So I hope you enjoyed it. I almost gave up on it a couple times and just went to sleep.**

**So, this is the end… review at least one more time! Constructive criticism MUCHO appreciated!  
><strong>

**-Anevay**


	46. Epilogue 1

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh, sigh, does not belong to me at all. Are you saddened by the fact? Because I am.**

Author's note: I love my reviewers :) really, you guys make my day! I was actually really happy with the last chapter. Or, the official last chapter ;) now onto the Epilogue(s)! Depending on how many pages they are and stuff. I have a lot of characters to close the book on.

Ally: O_O why don't you write _my _story like you do _this _one!

Anevay: Um… because?

Ally: Because is not an answer.

Anevay: Oh, shut it, I'll talk to you about it later. Thanks/responses!

Reviewers: **RedRosePetal, Mirror's Mirage, Aqua girl 007, fan person, The Trio of Twilight, princess atemma, Cometflight525, Khemet- Egyptian vampire, Blaze-Cloud, littlekuribohlover, jak dragon **& **me!**

Anevay: Whoo. Ally, you wanna handle this one? I might start, well, crying slightly while thanking them. You're tougher than I am.

Ally: Agreed. Sure, sure, I'll do it. Okeydoke!

**RedRosePetal**: Separating is always a bitter-sweet thing :/ that was kind of the point of the last chapter and all. I mean, that's how it is at the end of the entire show _soooo_ we had to end it that way again. Enjoy your crying corner X)

**Mirror's Mirage**: As you can tell, it's not completely over! Not sure if this is the only epilogue or not – we'll see how Anevay decides to play it out. Maybe one in the Afterlife and one in the Living… probably how it will go. You are completely right on two things: a) Kou is Kisara's descendent and b) there are some things left open, so we must close them to have a satisfying end! Good luck with your paper X) I'm _sure_ it will be _loads _of fun.

**Aqua girl 007**: The next story on our list is Egypt's Robin Hood**.** Check out Anevay's profile under upcoming stories and you'll see she has a _lot, _and I mean a _lot, _of stories planned.

**Fan person**: well that was fun X) poor Atem (sort of) love ya! Hello, fan person's yami.

**The Trio of Twilight**: We are very glad that you liked so much of it! X) Your review is one of our favorites! Anevay loves when people point out the parts that they like. Hey, never fear, check out the next upcoming story: Egypt's Robin Hood!

**Cometflight525**: yes, Egypt's Robin Hood should come out either tonight or tomorrow – hopefully. All depends on the busy-ness of the schedule. You know, Yugi and Atem _always _have to separate… sigh. Anyway, I'm _sort of _a yami. X) Not technically, but I like to think of myself as Anevay's *nice* yami. (Sort of) hahah Bakura looking like a kitty? Never thought about it before.

**Khemet- Egyptian vampire**: Agreed. Now, how dare we love/hate the bitter-sweet endings!

**Blaze-Cloud**: hah! Man, you're reviews are a source of great entertainment… maaayyybee I miiighttt have snuck some different juices into Anevay's drinks… I do like to mess with her, you know. It is not the end, never fear!

**Me**: Thank you! That means a lot X)

**jak dragon**: She was thinking about it, but doesn't think she will... :o

**littlekuribohlover**: Thank you! It's too true though - she can't capture the card games. Oh, oh, I get to name LKLY? YES! Okay, let me think... okay, options: Ishi, Kaminari, or Kira? X) Or I can think of something else? :O

*Well, here we are at one of the Epilogues. I must warn you, however – there will be **marriage fluff!** Just inferences, of course ^o^

* * *

><p><em>Epilogue 1: the Afterlife<em>

Mana breathed out easily, turning on her side as she settled into bed. Now that all of _that _chaos was over, maybe they could finally rest.

She gasped involuntarily as Atem ran his fingers along her arm, sliding up behind her. His fingers continued to trace along her arm before resting his arm on hers, tracing her palm. She felt his lips on her neck and cheek, whispers of petals on her skin.

"Hey," she smiled.

She rolled over slightly, and in greeting, he captured her lips with his in a momentary kiss. Breaking away, he kissed her cheek before snuggling up behind her, chin on her shoulder. His arm patterned to hers, he gently touched her palm with his fingertips, tracing the lines of her hand.

He was too quiet, so Mana broke the silence.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

He smiled slightly, about to deny that anything was on his mind, but he knew that, in the end, she would get to the bottom of it. He sighed, "What if Yugi's not, I don't know, ready? What if something goes wrong?"

Mana rolled her eyes. "Atem, nothing is going to go wrong. You told Yugi yourself that he was ready to be without you. You already knew that, right? Just relax for once and enjoy yourself. You're in Atem mode, okay?"

He chuckled. Mana was probably right. "I know, I just can't help but…" he sighed deeply.

Again, Mana rolled her eyes. Twining their fingers together, she pulled their clasped hands close to her and kissed his hand. "Worry, I know," she said, "Just trust Yugi, Atem. He's a big boy now."

Before Atem could continue his train of thought about worrying, Mana rolled to face him, stroking his face. He met her aquamarine eyes sadly, but Mana was quick to dispel that sadness.

After all, there was really only one thing she had to do.

She kissed him, her lips gentle at first. Not even a second later and Atem's mind was cleared of all worries. Mana always won these kinds of arguments.

* * *

><p>Mana had her head on Atem's bare chest, listening to his heartbeat.<p>

He was asleep, and she loved listening to his heart. Despite being in the Afterlife, technically dead, they still had heartbeats because they still had hearts.

She traced her fingertip along his chest, making goose-bumps rise and causing him to gasp involuntarily. He turned his head but didn't wake, chest continuing to rise slowly. She was glad he was able to sleep deeply.

She smirked. She was also glad she could help him forget his worries.

Besides, Atem had promised she could have him for as long as she wanted. And she definitely wanted him forever. One thing she wanted for him was peace—to finally feel at rest. To just _relax _and be the Atem she had known and loved since childhood: her best friend.

Adjusting so that her chin was resting on his shoulder, she stared into his slumbering face. Gently thumbing his soft cheek, Mana pressed her lips to his brow before whispering in his ear: "I love you, Atem."

He didn't hear it, but he already knew.

* * *

><p>Mahad had some thinking to do as Isis lay sound asleep beside him.<p>

He knew that, even though they were spirits, they could still have children. Sort of spirit children. Special, in a sense. It was difficult to conceive a child when, well, passed on, but it was possible. Now that things were well and truly settled in the Afterlife, he was thinking about children.

He and Isis had been married just before all of the Hamon and Erebus business had started. It had been a quiet production, just like they wanted it. He had been thinking about it every since then—off and on, the idea had come across his mind.

He knew that children were difficult to handle. He had learned that from Atem and Mana, having been the oldest out of the three of them. He also knew that there was a possibility that his gift as a Magician, and Isis' as a sort of seer, would most likely be passed on to any offspring. That was another danger as well.

But he thought that maybe, just maybe, he was willing. He needed something to do with his time, after all. Why not?

He rolled over beside Isis, closing his eyes. They would talk about it later.

* * *

><p>Kisara, ironically, was thinking about the same thing Mahad was.<p>

Seto didn't much like children. They were a nuisance at best. But Kisara wanted that sort of opportunity. And while she knew Seto didn't like them, she also knew that he would do almost anything for her, so maybe there was still a chance.

He was lying beside her with his arm around her. Like Mahad and Isis, their marriage hadn't been a big production. Just a small one. It had been a long time ago, however—before the Pharaoh had arrived. They had already known how they felt when Seto arrived, so they had married. Simple as that.

Now Kisara wondered to herself if he would agree. Maybe for her, he would.

Seto's stubborn attitude was most often calmed by the gentle spirit of the Blue Eyes White Dragon. Kisara, like Mana, had a great influence on her husband.

Maybe later, Kisara would ask Seto.

* * *

><p>Years later, what was even more ironic than Kisara and Mahad both thinking about children was the fact that Atem and Mana hadn't even <em>considered<em> the idea. It had simply happened one day, and then they'd had the most children out of them all.

Atem and Mana had four sons and three daughters—seven in all, so far.

Mahad and Isis had three: two daughters and a son.

Seto and Kisara had two sons and two daughters. They hadn't been able to agree on a definite number of children to have, so in pairs they had come—as twins each. At first Seto hadn't been crazy about the idea. When the first pair had come, leaving him duty bound to care for at least one child at all times, he hated it. But slowly he softened.

Atem and Mana simply let things happen as they came. They weren't objecting to either having them or not having them around. They were a sense of joy and entertainment in the Palace: spiritual royalty.

Mahad said he was done. When he said this, Isis simply pursed her lips and smiled. That was never a good sign.

Presently, the Pharaoh sat contemplating the years since he had last seen Yugi, going over paper work and such—when he received his usual dosage of chaos.

Mahad's son suddenly scrambled through Atem's office window, stepping around the pile of papyrus on his large desk. He wasn't surprised to find his seven-year old daughter (his third child), close behind, along with his two oldest sons and one of Seto's sons as well. The other kids were probably swimming. His oldest daughter was the only one who played Opposite Tag with the older boys—she was so much like Mana that he worried sometimes.

"Be careful!" he bellowed after them, only to hear someone cry out in half alarm and half pain soon after. Of course. He sighed and rose, sure who it would be.

Sure enough, there she was, sitting on the floor with her arms folded grumpily, staring angrily after the boys, who had left her behind. He considered her as she huffed and moaned again, trying to draw his concern.

Atem merely raised an eyebrow. "Did they trip you?"

"Yes," she sniffled, blinking her contradictorily big, narrow green eyes up at him.

The Pharaoh rolled his eyes inwardly. Definitely like Mana. He crouched down beside her, patting her messy brown hair. "Boys will be boys, dear. Keep at it."

"But I'm a _girl,_" she pouted, "They should know how to treat a lady."

Atem gripped her upper arm and brought her to her feet, "They consider you one of them, so they think you can handle it. Are you going to prove them wrong?"

She hesitated, and then said very definitely, "No."

Atem nodded, "Then go get them."

She nodded in a very determined way and sprinted in the direction they had gone, bare feet padding quickly on the stone. He shook his head before returning to his office.

Yes, he thought, the children were definitely worth it.

That was when another ah, _child, _swung in through his window, tackling him to the floor.

"Hi, Atem!" Mana sang.

Atem chuckled, his face nearly pressed into the stone floor. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Mana pouted. "I wanna play a game."

Atem rolled over beneath his wife. Her brown locks trailed onto his face so that he had to push her hair away from her face. "You're almost as bad as the children."

"Atem!"

"Yes, darling?"

"_Please?"_ she pleaded, putting on her puppy-dog expression.

Atem grinned and laughed, "Of course, Mana. What would you like to play?"

She pondered for a moment before brightening, "How about Opposite Tag mixed with How Dare You?"

That was one of Mana's new favorites, ever since the kids had come up with Opposite Tag. So he nodded, "Sure, Mana."

Mana immediately leapt off him and climbed back onto the window, "Tag, I'm it!"

"How dare you tag yourself!" he called after her as she clambered out the window with Atem on her tail. Quickly, he discarded his cape and skidded down the roof after her.

They landed in the courtyard, zooming past the children, who had been enjoying their own game but now looked around as the Pharaoh and Mana bolted past. Mana actually used the grouped children as an obstacle so that Atem had to dance around them in order to reach her.

"How dare you chase me when I'm it!" giggled Mana, placing Seto's son between her and Atem.

"How dare you contradict the rules of the game!"

"How dare you not make any sense!"

"How dare you assume I don't make sense when I do!"

The five oldest children stared after the couple in confusion as the laughing Pharaoh bolted after his giggling wife. They darted between pillars, and then Mana leapt lightly from vase-top to vase-top, squealing. Finally, Atem tackled her to the ground, crying: "I'm it!" before running around the corner.

Mana dashed after him. Moments later, the kids heard both of them scream, accompanied by an explosion of water. Probably Mana casting a spell and then both of them falling into the pond.

Mana and Atem's kids shook their heads, and then their daughter said: "They're weird."

And of course, Mahad and Isis had to find them—in a pond, playing Reverse Tackle mixed with How Dare You.

"How dare you splash me!" Mana cried, shoving him under the water.

Atem resisted, finding air again, "How dare you shove me under!"

Mana tried to push him under, practically on his shoulders, "How dare you accuse me of shoving you under!"

"How dare you accuse me of accusing you of shoving me under!" replied Atem loudly.

"How dare you not make sense again!"

Mahad put his hands on his hips, shaking his head, "Just another pair of children in the Palace."

At which Atem and Mana simply smiled. Nothing could be closer to the truth.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, there's your Afterlife Epilogue ^o^ hope you enjoyed it! We still have a couple of five-thousand year+ spirits playing like children…<strong>

**You'll notice that I didn't name their kids. Also, you'll notice that they DO have kids – just a little twist I decided to throw into it, even if it wouldn't happen – I think it could if you weren't given the chance to have them before. Anyway, I didn't name the kids because well, I want to leave that vague. Don't wanna deal with it.**

**Review? I hope so.**

**-Anevay**


	47. Epilogue 2

**Disclaimer: the last disclaimer. So, no, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!**

Author's note: here's our last Epilogue ^o^ and then hopefully I can post the first chapter of **Egypt's Robin Hood****, **(probably to be posted tomorrow)which is my next story on the list! Check it out! ^O^

Anywho, let's get on to our last Epilogue! Or is it…?

* * *

><p><em>Epilogue 2: World of the Living<em>

Yugi tucked his hands in his pockets, burrowing into the collar of his jacket to keep out the wind. It had been a few weeks since he had left the Afterlife. Things still felt odd.

As promised, nobody even remembered that Yugi and the others had been gone. Heck, they didn't even remember the last few weeks of Bakura's nightly tirades. In fact, everyone seemed rather lost and confused lately. That was probably one of the side effects.

He thought about the direction he wanted his life to go. What did he want to do with his life? He couldn't live off of dueling—well, he probably could, but he wanted to do something more with his time other than just _duel._ He wanted to be known for something other than being the King of Games.

Of course, when Grandpa retired, he could always take over the shop and expand it—no, it was good as it was. He expand the business itself: Kame Game, as run by Yugi Muto, King of Games… that would work, too.

But he was also interested in Egypt. Wasn't it right that he learn about his closest friend's homeland? He had already done a lot of research on it, but he wanted to _go _there and try to find Atem's tomb. Now _that _would be a fun adventure.

Then again, he had also thought, multiple times, about being a novelist. Writing about his adventures with his friends. Writing about the Pharaoh. He didn't want him to be the 'Nameless Pharaoh' anymore. It was right that people should know his name—should know _about _him and what he had done for the world.

He fingered the cartouche with Atem's name on it. _A piece of himself, _he had said. To remember him. He smiled at the memory. The Pharaoh had been right. Somehow, he always felt that Atem was with him now. He didn't need the Puzzle to remember anymore.

Yugi almost didn't notice that he was passing the game shop until Grandpa stepped outside, calling: "Yugi! Where are you going?"

He looked back and smiled, "Oh, sorry, Gramps."

Grandpa gestured for him to come inside. Yugi followed his grandfather into the kitchen, where he was just making dinner. "What's on your mind, Yugi?"

"Oh, nothing," Yugi said dismissively, "Just thinking about the future. What I'm going to do."

"Aren't you a duelist?" his grandfather wondered inquisitively.

"Well, yeah, but I want to do _more _than that," he said.

"Like what?"

"Well lately I've wanted to travel to Egypt and find Atem's tomb. He shouldn't be remembered as the 'Nameless Pharaoh' anymore, especially knowing what he's done for the world. He died at fifteen, Grandpa," Yugi said in genuine distress, "That's only a little younger than I am now, and the same age I was a few years ago. He saved the world at my age! He was the king of Egypt at my age!"

"You saved the world a few times, too, if I recall," Grandpa pointed out, trying to sooth him. "And you _are _the King of Games, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but that's not the same thing, and I couldn't have done any of that without Atem," the boy pointed out. "He gave me the opportunity to do that. He helped me so much, Grandpa, and I feel like I owe him more than anyone else. I want to repay that debt. I want to prove to him…" he trailed off, realizing he was rambling.

"Prove what? He already knows you better than you know yourself, Yugi," Grandpa said gently.

Yugi shook his head. "I guess I just want to prove to him that I can be _like _him _without _him. You know?" Grandpa nodded, and Yugi contined, "And I want… I want him to have what he deserves. He's dealt with so much evil in his lifetime that I think that some recognition, and respect, are in order."

His grandfather nodded slowly. "So you want to do that by making him known to the world? Giving him the recognition he deserves?"

Yugi's head bobbed vigorously. "Yes, that's exactly it! Don't you think he deserves it?"

Again, Solomon Muto nodded in a very slow, very precise way. "I don't doubt that he deserves it. But is that what the Pharaoh would want?"

That made Yugi think. He fingered the cartouche again. Was that what Atem would want?

"Think on it," Grandpa encouraged. "The answer will come to you."

So he did.

He thought about it for a long time. Sure, he knew the Pharaoh better than anyone else, but that didn't mean he could predict what he would want on this matter. On one hand, Atem would finally be known to the world. On the other, Atem might want to keep his name, and his life, a secret. But why? What was the harm in people knowing about Atem, about his great deeds to the world when he so rightly deserved that recognition?

And so, therein lay Yugi's predicament.

He was tempted to use the cartouche and try to contact Atem, but this wasn't exactly a dire situation. The best thing for him to do, regrettably, was to just make a decision.

He asked the rest of the gang what they thought.

They all agreed that it was a great idea to do. Atem deserved it, they said, just like Yugi had thought. Slowly, he became sure in his resolve. Maybe Atem would want this, and maybe he wouldn't mind, either way, Yugi had to make a decision.

Several months after leaving the Afterlife, Yugi made his decision.

* * *

><p>Tsuki picked up Yugi's newly published book. Being the King of Games had its perks - people actually listened to you.<p>

At the moment, Yugi was in Egypt, going through Atem's newly found tomb. The book, titled, _The Name of the Nameless Pharaoh, _had taken him nearly three years to finish. He'd had to do a lot of research on Egypt, first of all, along with visit the site where everything had happened to make it more realistic.

Then he'd had to consult with archeologists and those in the business of Egyptian history, to discuss the Nameless Pharaoh.

And then he'd had to write it while fishing the details of Atem's memories out of his head.

And last but not least, there was the whole publishing process.

Now, the entire past of that great Pharaoh had been collected and written. Many a historian challenged the book's legitimacy—how could Yugi know all about the Nameless Pharaoh, especially his _name _when he was supposed to be nameless? That Pharaoh's history had been erased. Hidden, locked away, even destroyed. No one knew why; until now, anyway.

It was only when Yugi had found Atem's tomb, his name, and scrolls of his short life, that the book had finally been published with all the works on the no longer nameless king. Pharaoh Atem.

Tsuki thumbed through it. She was in here, wasn't she?

Ah well, she would just have to read the entire book.

Not that she minded.

Walking home (after paying for the book), she reflected on her own life. It seemed like everyone was doing that now.

Currently, Joey and Mai were dating steadily, as well as Tristan and Serenity (to Joey's dismay). Tea, off being a dancer in America now, had been dating Yugi for a long time and neither showed signs of wavering. Duke and Hikari were getting closer to becoming BF and GF every day.

Even Kaiba had hooked up with his secretary: Kou, who looked remarkably like Kisara.

That left Tsuki.

What _did _she want?

She sighed. She still wished she could have stayed in the Afterlife. That was where she was supposed to be.

But, like the Pharaoh had said, she was meant to be here. Why? She wasn't sure yet, but she was determined to find out.

Because there was one other thing the Pharaoh was right about. He would wait for her.

Black Flame Soldier—quiet, calm, collected, loyal, sweet and charming, as well as the only man she really cared to be with—would wait for her. She had seen it in his face. In his eyes.

She even remembered his real name: Khait.

But she remembered calling him Khai, too.

He had been a soldier in her father's army. Odd how she had only remembered him a short time ago, and yet she missed him like none other.

She pulled a card from her duel belt and smiled at the image. Khait had done something similar to what Mahad had done—combined himself with his Ka, Flame Soldier, to create Black Flame Soldier.

Slipping the card away, Tsuki took a good deep breath. She still had a long ways to go, and she wasn't giving up yet.

* * *

><p><strong>Alrighty, well, that's the last epilogue. I know, I know, it only has Yugi and Tsuki, but I mentioned the others ^o^<strong>

**I just wanted to give a big thanks to all my constant reviewers who have encouraged me tremendously throughout this story! **

**Namely: me, princess atemma, Aqua girl 007, fan person, RedRosePetal, Khemet- Egyptian vampire, The Trio of Twilight, Cometflight525, Blaze-Cloud, Mirror's Mirage, and countless others I could never name.**

**However, a special thanks is in order to: me, princess, atemma, Aqua girl 007, and fan person for being here since the start! ^o^**

**You guys all rock!**

**Also, I hope you'll check out my next story: EGYPT'S ROBIN HOOD! **

**That story idea comes courtesy of RedRosePetal! XD**

**So, give this story one last review! Even if it's just an over all review. I know it was long, but we made it through X) adios!**

**-Anevay**


	48. Epilogue 3?

**Disclaimer: _definitely _don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!**

Author's note: ha, ha, hahaha! Ally here! I decided to mess with Anevay's story to teach her a lesson X) so here. Another epilogue. One which, I beautifully, used to mess up the ending. Enjoy!

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><p><em>Epilogue 3: Never over<em>

In the confines of a cave, deep within the bowels of the Dark Realm, where all dark, evil and malicious souls dwelt, a white-haired Thief King sat pondering to himself.

He chuckled softly.

"Fools," he whispered, "You always think there will be an end. _That _is the downfall of all souls good. They believe in hope, goodness, happiness, peace—they believe in those things of which there are none."

The thief stood, circling the large cavern thoughtfully.

It was a huge room. The ceiling could not be seen. Only the one which Bakura stood nearest to, with its rough black walls, could be distinguished. The darkness was a great comfort to him. He languished in it—the beautiful, black darkness of the cave. No one would find him there.

"That girl, _Mana, _may believe she destroyed me, but I merely retreated where defeat was inevitable," Bakura spoke to himself, "One day, Pharaoh, one day, I shall receive my ultimate revenge. And that, my _friend, _is a _promise."_

The Thief King began to laugh.

It was a manic laugh, filled with anger and distant triumph. He was sure that one day he would win, somehow. One day, maybe not soon, but one day.

"Lavish in your peace, Pharaoh Atem, because one day I shall be the one to take it from you!" the Thief King cried to the ceiling, and still laughing, the huge form of Diabound appeared behind him, growing larger, darker and even more evil as the darkness within the thief's heart raged hotter than fire and faster than the speed of light…

After all, there was no rest for the wicked, no rest for the weary, not for the hungry, or the angry…

No rest for the mighty, the noble…

And most of all, no rest for the king.


End file.
